c7184388
Contents
Click on the text below to go to the selected portfolio*
MArch 2 Design 2
MArch 2 Design 1
This portfolio layout has been done on the website*
DS3 PORTFOLIO & ADDITIONAL DS4 WORK
SEMESTER 1
PROJECT CONTEXT - 2 AND A HALF D - COLLAGE CITY
SEMESTER 1
DS3 PORTFOLIO
PROJECT CONTEXT
CAPE CORAL - HURRICANE IAN - RESEARCH
PROJECT CONTEXT - 2 AND A HALF D - COLLAGE CITY
CAPE CORAL
FLORIDA
UK
Cape Coral is a city located in Lee County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1957 and developed as a planned community, the city's population has grown to 194,016 as of the 2020 Census. With an area of 310km2, Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and Miami in both population and area. The city has over 640 km of navigable waterways, more than any other city on earth.
The city features a borderline tropical savanna climate bordering on a tropical monsoon climate. The area averages 355 days of sunshine per year and experiences precipitation on 145 days per year. While the summers are very warm, humid, and rainy, the winters in Cape Coral are dry with moderate temperatures. The city receives about 56 inches of rain each year, the majority of which falls from June to September. During the summer months, afternoon rains are heavy yet brief. The city is affected by the annual hurricane season, which begins officially on June 1 and continues through November.
North
FLORIDA
HURRICANE
IAN
Hurricane Ian was a large and destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane that was the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. Ian caused widespread damage across western Cuba and the southeast United States, especially the states of Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina. It was the ninth named storm, fourth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.
Ian originated from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of western Africa and across the central tropical Atlantic towards the Windward Islands. The wave moved into the Caribbean Sea on 21 September 2022 bringing heavy rain and gusty winds to Trinidad and Tobago, the ABC islands, and the northern coast of South America. It became a tropical depression on the morning of September 23 and strengthened into Tropical Storm Ian early the next day while it was southeast of Jamaica. Rapidly intensifying into a high-end Category 3 hurricane within 24 hours, Ian made landfall in western Cuba. Heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding across Cuba resulting in a nationwide power outage. Ian lost a minimal amount of strength while over land and soon re-strengthened while over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. It became a high end Category 4 hurricane early on September 28, 2022, while progressing towards the west coast of Florida, and made landfall just below peak intensity in southwest Florida on Cayo Costa Island.
​
North
RESEARCH
As a group, our studio created a website which features elements that depict Cape Coral and Hurricane Ian. Please visit the site by clicking on the link below to access different categories of our research or to view our groups individual portfolios. Early on in my research I investigated the categories Seaside, Art Forms, LGBTQ+, Fire and other.
​
SEMESTER 1
DS3 PORTFOLIO
2 AND A HALF D
PLACE & NON PLACE - PROCESS - DIAGRAM - MODEL
PROJECT CONTEXT - 2 AND A HALF D - COLLAGE CITY
PLACE &
NON PLACE
Place and Non Place are two architectural themes used as a vehicle to gain a deeper understanding regarding the research of the context of our project. Group studio sessions and lectures were held to investigate these themes. Several readings were given concomitant to this task. This philosophical research formed part of the initial layers that make up the 2 AND A HALF D experiment. The visuals on the right depict a typical example of group discourse and in house seminars.
​
Place represents community
Non Place represents destruction
FLORIDA
PROCESS
The process of physical model making was central to this exercise and forms part of the core to the 2 AND A HALF D experiment.
​
​
The series of images depict the following:
-
Google Earth screenshots of Cape Coral
-
Sourced CAD drawings of site
-
Making a base frame to hold the paper model
-
Spray painting it white for exhibition purposes
-
Import and export relevant files to laser cut layers of topography
-
Mimic the topography of the site by laser cutting A1 paper layers
-
Layering and separating them with MDF spacers
-
Double sided tape used on spacers to fix sheets
​
​
​
​
​
​
Vlog Series
​
This is episode one in a vlog series that documents the day to day life experience of studying Masters of Architecture Year 2 and showcases an insight to the makings and failings of processes from tasks given in the design studio.
FLORIDA
DIAGRAM
Place & non place literature is engraved into the top layer of the model. These are quotes and theories related to the project context. As a collective and positioned spaced out, due to the 2m depth canals, they visually form a diagram that summarises the key research of the 2 AND A HALF D experiment. Each diagram "plot" interconnects and explains the definitions of place and non place in depth. The definition of place is community and non place is destruction. The model does not simulate a sense of community or destruction but rather an in-between state. This state has potential for redesign and can be seen as a clean slate. The physical destruction of the communities in Cape Coral was due to Hurricane Ian. The communities are in a state of decision making due to the increase in insurance cost. The model questions how architecture can be used to create innovative, sustainable an affordable solutions to the now outdated modernist principals that originated from a forced capitalistic mindset during the erection of Cape Coral.
​
List of related literature diagrams:
-
Explanation of model
-
Place and Placelessness Non Place
-
Otherness
-
Place and Displacement
-
Non Place
-
Placelesness Non Place
​
Vlog Series Episode 2..
FLORIDA
MODEL
​
The final 2 AND A HALF D experiment combined both project context research, and place & non place theorems. Transcended into the physical model and organised by the featuring diagram edged into the top surface of the model. With use of video and animating software, the diagram was brought to life as the text explaining and questionng the research is pulled from the model and displayed on the video canvas.
​
The podcast playing in the background comments on Hurricane Ian and how poorer communities in Cape Coral are being forced to sell their homes due to the rise of insurance cost.
​
Place represents community
Non Place represents destruction
​
The clean topography model indicates both place and non place as the destruction of Hurricane Ian has potentially displaced existing communities.
​
The model neither showcases community or destruction but the in-between state of potential. A state of decision making, transformation or a clean slate.
SEMESTER 1
DS3 PORTFOLIO
COLLAGE CITY
PROJECT CONTEXT - 2 AND A HALF D - COLLAGE CITY
TRADITIONAL & MODERN - SYSTEMS OF MOVEMENT & PUBLIC SPACES - REIMAGED/REIMAGINED - SUPERIMPOSITION
FLORIDA
TRADITIONAL & MODERN
​
Redesigning Cape Coral requires an understanding of urban planning. Cape Coral is an example of Modernist city planning. Its urban strategies hosts both pros and cons. Traditional city planning ideals is juxtaposed and used to reintroduce previous strategies that have been lost over time. Various imagery of cities are superimposed to gain a better understanding of scale and how public spaces and systems of movement are used. The observations made depict relationships between these themes and individually. Implications were drawn from new relationships that were discovered. Three main issues were focused on.
​
-
Modernist city planning which divided areas in the city into ‘zones’, such residential, commercial, industrial, etc.
-
Traditional city which promoted mixed use on the urban scale promoting the voids in the cities as public spaces, commons, places of assembly.
-
Resolving the two previous components
​
Implication drawn is mobility and new relationships are public commons to replace car parks
​
​
​
FLORIDA
SYSTEMS OF MOVEMENT & PUBLIC SPACES
​
​
Sites
​
Systems of Movement:
-
Turia River Park, Valencia, Spain,
-
Avenida, Buenos Aires,
-
Argentina,Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Turin, Italy”
​
Public Spaces:
-
Piazza San Marco, Venice & Campidoglio, Rome Italy,
-
Any historic Squares in Savannah, Georgia &
-
Any of the 4 historic Squares in Philadelphia,USA
Implication drawn is mobility and new relationships are public commons to replace car parks
​
Supported Readings:
Introducing Architectural Theory Debating the Disciplined
by Korydon Smith
-
The Radiant City pp.215 -286
-
The Death and Life of Great American Cities pp.287 –297
-
Contextualism: Urban Ideals and Deformations pp.298 –305
COLLABORATION 1
​
Del Prado Blvd in Cape Coral is researched in collaboration with Maryam Najeeb and Sobaan Rehman. The street acts as one of the main transportation corridors in Cape Coral. With a relatively flat typology, the street is predominantly allocated for commercial use. Populated by "Big Box Stores" and smaller retail stores, large car park areas fill a large part of this region. With 6 lanes, generally used by cars, the street does not specifically indicate usage of busses or trams. There are few pedestrian road crossing opportunities or rest points in between opposing lanes. The walkability in Cape Coral can improve when compared to traditional city planning such as Buenos Aires, 9 De Julio Avenida. Not only does the large car parks force a one dimensional function, the stores are set back far from the main road. This again impedes the walkability and lead to less lively spaces. Two ideas were drawn from the research. One is to improve walkability and two is to add more communal and green spaces such as in Turin, Rome, Italy.
North
COLLABORATION 2
Del Prado Blvd in Cape Coral and other sites are researched in collaboration with students from our design group. Neighbouring residential areas and one of the main access roads from Fort Myers onto Del Prado are combined into one urban strategy. Three key strategies were finalised. One, have additional transport methods such as tramlines and busses. Two, increase pedestrian mobility with parks and overhead walkways. Three, reintroduce places of assembly with public squares and shopfronts.
North
COLLABORATION 3
Del Prado Blvd in Cape Coral and other sites are researched in collaboration with students from our design group. Neighbouring residential areas and one of the main access roads from Fort Myers are combined into one urban strategy. Other sites such as 'spaced out developed areas', downtown Cape Coral and the parkway bridges were combined into one overall scheme. The purpose was to improve the systems of movement by reimagining what new means of transport and alternative routes can offer.
North
REIMAGED/REIMAGINED
HOW TO REDUCE CARS AND CAR PARKS IN CITIES?
BIG BOX STORES & CAR PARKS
1
CAR PARK AND BIG BOX STORES BIRDS EYE VIEW @ 500M
2
CAR PARK AND BIG BOX STORES BIRDS EYE VIEW @ 500M
3
CAR PARK AND BIG BOX STORES BIRDS EYE VIEW @ 900M
North
SUPERIMPOSITION
Modernist City
Cape Coral, Florida, UK
Identified: Rectilinear grid type transportation network.
Implication: Separated commercial and residential spaces.
SYSTEMS OF MOVEMENT
scale comparisons
@ 1km above sea level
>> combined <<
Identified: Intersecting transportation and public spaces.
Solution: Create an epicentre of transportation and human relation/resource space.
Traditional City
Turin River Park, Valencia, Spain
Identified: Circular and diagonal type transportation network.
Implication: Complex transportation network.
SUPERIMPOSITION
PUBLIC SPACES
scale comparisons
@ 500m above sea level
Modernist City
>> combined <<
Cape Coral, Florida, UK
Identified: Vehicular access.
Implication: Neglecting pedestrian accesability.
Identified: Pedestrian and vehicular access intersecting structures.
Solution: Enabling a structure to accommodate both pedestrians and other transportation methods.
Traditional City
Campidoglio, Rome, Italy
Identified: Pedestrian access.
Implication: Neglecting vehicular accessibility.
SUPERIMPOSITION
PUBLIC SPACES
scale comparisons
@ 500m above sea level
Modernist City
>> combined <<
Cape Coral, Florida, UK
Identified: Parking spaces between "big box stores".
Implication: Neglecting human interactions.
Identified: Public square is larger than parking space.
Solution: Enabling public transport to reduce vehicular parking spaces and increase space for human interaction.
Traditional City
San Marco, Venice, Italy
Identified: Public square between shopfronts.
Implication: Neglecting vehicular parking.
PUBLIC SPACES & SYSTEMS OF MOVEMENT
SUPERIMPOSITION
scale comparisons
@ 500m above sea level
Modernist City
>> combined <<
Cape Coral, Florida, UK
Traditional City
San Marco canals, Venice, Italy
Identified: Wide canals.
Implication: Neglecting human interactions.
Identified: Varying canal widths.
Solution: Have narrower canals.
Identified: Narrow canals.
Implication: Invade privacy.
PUBLIC SPACES & SYSTEMS OF MOVEMENT
Modernist City
Cape Coral, Florida, UK
1 Perspective of Macdonalds.
2 Perspective of Del Prado Blvd.
3 Perspective of Parking area.
4 Perspective of Del Prado Blvd.
5 Perspective of "Big Box Store".
@ street level
Traditional City
San Marco, Venice, Italy
1 Perspective of a bell tower.
2 Perspective of a church.
3 Perspective of a museum.
4 Perspective of of a museum.
5 Perspective of Piazza.
Traditional City
Turin River Park, Valencia, Spain
1 Perspective of performing arts centre.
2 Perspective of tower block.
3 Perspective of overhead walkway.
4 Perspective of footpath.
5 Perspective of bridge.
Traditional City
Campidoglio, Rome, Italy
1 Perspective of tower.
2 Perspective of stairway.
3 Perspective of stairway.
4 Perspective of public square.
5 Perspective of fountain.
SUPERIMPOSITION
scale comparisons
LIMIT BUILDING HEIGHT TO 18M*
Cape Coral, Florida, UK & Venice, Italy
RESTRICT BUILDING HEIGHT TO 4-6 STOREY
SEMESTER 2
BRAINSTORM - SHADOW PATTERN MAKING DEVICE - CAPE CORAL CENTRAL
SEMESTER 2
BRAINSTORM
NON LINEAR - FUNCTION - PROGRAMME - USE
FLORIDA
NON LINEAR
​
What interests me is the question of how to create equality and diversity in Cape Coral? By connecting specific regions via various transpiration systems in Cape Coral, with other counties, could improve the cities cultural equity. The use of local transport methods in the parameters of Cape Coral could also improve mobility and benefit the diversification of demographics.
​
Activities and ideas from semester one are compared. Key ideas such as making use of trams, busses, boats and trains were utilised. Further investigation will be made on systems of movement that connects Cape Coral with Florida and nearby states.
​
​
1. BOAT
2. TRAM
3. BUS
Key findings focal points would be boat, tram and busses. Trains would connect with the larger part of Florida.
1
2
3
FLORIDA
INTERNATIONAL
SHIPPING ROUTES
​
This research development graphic shows international shipping routes.
What interests me is the question of how to create equality and diversity in Cape Coral? By connecting specific regions via various transpiration systems in Cape Coral, with other counties, could improve the cities cultural equity. The use of local transport methods in the parameters of Cape Coral could also improve mobility and benefit the diversification of demographics.
​
​
US RAIL
​
This research development graphic shows US rail routes.
What interests me is the question of how to create equality and diversity in Cape Coral? By connecting specific regions via various transpiration systems in Cape Coral, with other counties, could improve the cities cultural equity. The use of local transport methods in the parameters of Cape Coral could also improve mobility and benefit the diversification of demographics.
​
​
FLORIDA TRANSIT
​
This research development graphic shows Floridas transit routes.
What interests me is the question of how to create equality and diversity in Cape Coral? By connecting specific regions via various transpiration systems in Cape Coral, with other counties, could improve the cities cultural equity. The use of local transport methods in the parameters of Cape Coral could also improve mobility and benefit the diversification of demographics.
​
​
FLORIDA
BLACK & HISPANIC COUNTIES
UNEMPLOYMENT
NATIONAL RAIL
​
This research development graphic shows the map of Florida, locating black and hispanic counties outside of Cape Coral. US rail network is indicated in white lines, overlayed on the map. Unemployment is illustrated by circles. The size and density of the circles indicate higher unemployment rates for the said demographics. The map data is sourced from recent government statistics and geolocated using code and embedded data sources.
What interests me is the question of how to create equality and diversity in Cape Coral? By connecting specific regions via various transpiration systems in Cape Coral, with other counties, could improve the cities cultural equity. The use of local transport methods in the parameters of Cape Coral could also improve mobility and benefit the diversification of demographics.
ARRIVAL YOUTH CULTURE
​
This animation illustrates the intention of creating a sense of culture for youth and underrepresented demographics in Cape Coral. By either using dance or music to communicate culture for people arriving in the city.
What interests me is the question of how to create equality and diversity in Cape Coral? By connecting specific regions via various transpiration systems in Cape Coral, with other counties, could improve the cities cultural equity. The use of local transport methods in the parameters of Cape Coral could also improve mobility and benefit the diversification of demographics.
​
​
SEMESTER 2
SHADOW PATTERN MAKING DEVICE
DEVICEs - SHADOW PATTERN - MIGRANTS - LABOUR
DEVICEs
​
1.20 Model - Shadow Pattern Making Device
​
Shadow devices were designed to encounter the anticipated tropical climate. The intention for the shading devices were to protect humans from harsh sunlight and to feature social embedded meaning for a progressive cultural community. Other indicative and practical features were considered at later design stages.
​
​
SHADOW PATTERN
​
1.20 Model - Shadow Pattern Making Device
​
Shadow devices were designed to encounter the anticipated tropical climate. The intention for the shading devices were to protect humans from harsh sunlight and to feature social embedded meaning for a progressive cultural community. Other indicative and practical features were considered at later design stages.
​
​
MIGRANTS
​
Florida Diaspora Welfare - Animation and podcast depicting unscrupulous work contracts for migrant construction workers.
​
Shadow devices were designed to encounter the anticipated tropical climate. The intention for the shading devices were to protect humans from harsh sunlight and to feature social embedded meaning for a progressive cultural community. Other indicative and practical features were considered at later design stages.
​
​
LABOUR
​
Florida Diaspora Welfare - Graphic illustrating Cuban migrant workers that are the target users to build and manage the proposed building.
​
Shadow devices were designed to encounter the anticipated tropical climate. The intention for the shading devices were to protect humans from harsh sunlight and to feature social embedded meaning for a progressive cultural community. Other indicative and practical features were considered at later design stages.
​
​