Preliminary Concept

After the presentation and the consultation session with the tutors, there are a few things that need my immediate attention in order to achieve successful result with my final design. This is need to be revised and proper solution need to be presented during the Schematic Concept Exercise. They were:

1. Location.
My proposed location of the pavillion need to be revised back in order to enhance the my concept which is "Convict's Circuit". Basically, my concept is about creating a pavillion as a representation of the convict's history at the Cockatoo Island. The reason I choose this as my main argument is because if we tracking back the history, we can see that the convicts were atually the backbone of the island where mostly all of the buildings on the island were there due to their hardworks. However, to my surprise, there were minimal story-telling about the convicts in the island besides the Barracks, Mess Hall and some other buildings with no detail explanations about what were actually the had to go through at that particulat time.

Thus, my main intention here is re-create back the history through a story telling, not by having a narrator but through the expression of feeling by using architecure and lights. My intention is to create different feeling through out the journey inside the pavillion which at the same time, telling them about what were actually happened during the convicts era.

Therefore, in order to maximise the quality of the exploration, I need to place my pavillion to somewhere where evertyhing is related to my story-telling, giving the oppurtunity for the viewers to straight away relating their interpretation and imagination with the real history.

My first proposed location was near the entrance (at the Plaza) but that doesnt seemed to be perfect because of the environment there did not potrays what I wanted to create inside my pavillion.


2. Concept Model
I try to show an abstractness that I need to potray through my concept model, since my story telling about the history is being done by using the abstract interpretation by using different light quality. However, after the consultation process with the tutors, by following the same orientation of the original building would actually enhancing my concept, and making it more perfect to be placed at that particular site. Besides, it is actually a way of reminiscing back the older days through architecture, a way of showing relationship between architecture and the local context.

The Pier : Model and Drawings

Study of Precedent: the 'Pier' by Jorge Pardo

The 'Pier' by Jorge Pardo was a contribution for the Munster Skulptur Project 1997. It was done by the American Artist, to be part of the event.


The idea to actually having a pier came when he walked around the Aasee lake (the venue of the event) and saw a very beautiful lake, with the background of the panoramic view of the city, top up with great landscape of the park itself, giving an imprompt idea to Jorge to have a very long pier to the middle of the lake.


His main intention is to manipulate every great views of the place to be incorporated with his pier. In order to make to experience while contempleting the views becoming more interesting, he had chosen a hexagonal shape, top up with walls and roof in certain arrangement, to actually create some sort 'hide and seek' game with the viewers as the players.

It is actually indirectly a way to provoc the viwers to start exploring the pier by themselves. Element of stairs and platform are used to make the experience becoming more dramatic with the viewers having different views and interpretation along their journey. Apart from that, he is actually giving the freedom for the viewers of chosing their own exploration path. The most interesting part is, whenever they are tired, they could just sit down and dip their legs, experiencing the coldness of the lake's water.

Site Location

The cigarrate box with Jorge's caricature at the site

One element that I found very interesting is when he placed a cigarette vending machine at one of the walls with his caricature by the side is something different to be incorporated with the design. However, he said that his main intention is to disturb viewers concentration inside the pier by puzzling them with something that would make them pause for a while and think. It is his way of grabbing the viewers attention from something 'functional' to something which is not, like art.

Here is the video of about an interview with Jorge Pardo, discussing about his works.

Interpretation Model of the site

As for my interpretation of the site, I am actually trying to show about the materiality of the place by using the direct interpretation of the actual element. This is can be seen as I am using green dust to show about the vegetation, blue plastic bag as the water surround the island and I am actually made the original site model with buildings to actually have a better and clear understanding about the site.

Apart from that, there was an abstract interpretation of the robust architecture on the island by using straight and long foam-core glued surround the island. It is an interpretation that most of the buildings over there are big in scale. Besides, it is also an interpretation of the boundary that limit us from seeing the island. It is a representation that in order for us to know about the place in deep, we cannot just depending on the external sources. What we should do is to go there and experience it because by knowing Cockatoo Island through websites and books is totally not the same by actually going there and exploring the island. It is a place full with colours. Colours that represent the life of the place.

Site Analysis

This is the first exercise we need to do for this project. From my site analysis, one thing that I found attracts me the most is about the building and materials that could be found at the island itself. As my personal opinion, Cockatoo Island is a place that is full with artistic elements and can be taken as an art gallery. Every single building and element on the island has their own story to tell. What makes them more special is the originality that could be found in there because they are the one that is in the story, not an imitation or a replica.

Sketches

I only managed to sketch two drawings during my site visit that day. I have to rush back for some important event. Anyway, what made me to choose to draw these two sketches?


This first sketch is about an old machine that found at Cockatoo Island, near the site of where I am gonna built my pavillion. What is interesting about this old machine, eventhough it is already old and could not be used I believe, it is actually has its own artistic value. By just looking at it, when could actually dig in into the history of the place, a place where maritime lifestyle was once the most important industry at the island.

Besides, the design of the machine which slightly looks like the 'transformers', would surely attracting every single eye that passing through. The shape is very unique, looks like a robotic element. Furthermore, the patina covered its body has actually boost up it artistic value besides just being a plain and lame machine.



The second sketches was about the two contra elements due to different textures. This drawing was sketched when I was walking on the steel deck at the Plateau. This place is located at the pathway in between the industrial building and near the cliff of the Upper Island.

When I passed through the place, my attention was caught with the hard and solid yellowish textures of the sandstones on my right contrary with the texture on my life which is plain but being repeated in the corrugated way. Plus, the shining texture of the steel or maybe aluminium of the pathway makes the place to be something full of artistic elements, and going to be something that is every art-lovers waiting for.

Thus, based on this I beleive, to be chosen as the site for one of the most popular art event like Syndey Biannale, Cockatoo Island is definitely a right place to be chosen as the host.

Site Visit

Just like what I said in the previous post, we have to choose in between to have our pavillion to be at the Royal Botanic Garden (next to Opera House) or at the Cockatoo Island. We went to the Royal Botanic Garden with the whole class yesterday. Based on my observation, the garden is too commercial and doesnt suits with my proposal idea of pavillion. Besides, the garden is too big and there is a probability that people might lost while searching for the pavillion. More than that, we are bounded with too many boundaries, rules and regulations which might be giving me less freedom for me to be as artistic as I could. The original idea might be going a lot of alteration stages before the final idea is decided and this will surely not going to be the same as my original idea.

However, as my ferry approaching the Cockatoo Island, the moment I saw the place from far, I knew that the island is more than enough to be chosen as my site for the pavillion. Here are some of the photos of the island.





I'm sure you guys feel amazed with the photos of the island. Yes, I was very excited when I first step into the wharf. It is like going into somewhere not Sydney. The island is 100% different from the normal Sydney life - busy, hectic, worka-holic. Cockatoo Island has its own artistic value which could not be gotten from anywhere.

The most interesting element at the island that attracts me the most is the different textures and materiality can be found through out the island. As you walk, appreciating the nice views and culture of the island, you will surely encounter the different colors due to the different materials and textures of thesurround areas.

Besides, what makes this island special is there are a lot of 'ready made sculptures' around the place. This so called sculptures were actually the machines that is being used during the early times at the island, where it is being treated as a place to built up ship to be used for the Royal Australian Navy.

Moreover, this place has its own story to be shared with the people coming to visit. By just looking at every single things at the island, we could easily connect ourselves to be part of the story. It is understandable through the richness of textures and colors of each and every single things on the island.

Last but not least, it's location as an island, giving the Cockatoo Island its own territory and the freedom to express itself as whatever it wants. Thus, to be chosen as the site for Biannale Sydney, it is definitely gonna make the event become more interesting due to the original nature of the island, not something artificial or man-made but full with original art to be appreciated for those who hunger for it.

Biennale Sydney 2010

My latest design project is to design a pavillion for one art-event in Sydney, "17th Biannale of Sydney". There are several site for the event to take place and they are located around the Sydney Harbour. As for this course, we are given the freedom to choice either to have the pavillion at the Cockatoo Island or the Sydney Botanical Garden.

During the first class, we were ask to draw a spontanious drawing about how are interprete the pavillion to look like.The number shown on the sketches are the chronology of the process before I got the final image which is no.5. Basically, my main idea is to create a pavillion that is actually can be taking as one of the artwork for the Biannale Exhibition. I want people to actually inspire the architecture of the pavillion not just as the place for the them to look for the artworks but something for them to admire from far, for them to take it as part of the exhibition - an artwork to gather some other artworks.

Taking the theme for this year Biannale, " the Beauty of Distance", I would like my pavillion to be part of the theme, where people is going to admire it not just from far, but will actually feel the excitement as they approaching the pavillion.

As for the concept of the pavillion, two important elements that I am focusing at is the lighting and the view. That is why, as for my initial concept, there are a few lighting-slots to direct the sunlight into the pavillion. Besides there are also view-slots at the ground level for the people to contemplate at the certain views.

In term of shape, it is actually the representation of Science and Art, an atomic molecules with the injection of fluidity element to show the connection between both fields. In my opinion, since this event is actually the link between Art and Science, therefore, the pavillion is indirectly acting as the 'LINK' between both element. In other word, it acts as the bridge for the people to actually get into the other dimension created by the human being.

Thus, in conclusion as for tonight, what I can say here regarding my initial idea of the pavillion, the pavillion itself is the artwork to be installed with other artworks. At the same time, it acts as the link for the people to come into another dimension created by the human being. That new dimension is mainly occupied by the lights and views for them to contemplate with. At the same time, it provides with different experience as they continue to explore.

Anyway, here is the website for the Sydney Bianalle 2010 http://www.biennaleofsydney.com.au/bos17/home.htm