Digital Ops – Page 2 – Dulux Study Tour Blog

Day – 6 London

Today goes down as the highlight day for me so far. We packed in a huge range of studio and project visits.
From the small emerging office of Studio Octopi to the huge Foster machine. The absolutely stunning Herzog and DeMeuron Tate Modern gallery extension touched our souls, while the opulence and excess of the Chipperfield project brought into question issues of sustainability.

We started the day with a visit to Fosters office where the scale and size of the practice means they can afford a huge amount of resources. The dedicated ‘materials research’ team has a highly organised material library and the enviable ability to prepare comparison data on the embodied energy of any material.

The visit to the new Tate extension was the highlight of the trip so far with John O’Mara from Herzog and DeMeuron giving us a tour of the construction site. The lower level spaces are almost complete and we were able to stand in the oil tanks that have been converted to gallery spaces. The opportunity to experience the beauty of these raw spaces was an emotional moment. Externally we were able to see the beautifully detailed concrete structure and have some insightful discussions about the brick detailing. The brick screen prototype was great to see and we were all inspired by the use of new techniques and custom square bricks.

The director Alex of dRMM generously showed us some of their social housing work and the much published ‘Sliding House’ was great to see. Studio Octopi were next and another trip highlight for me.

The very accommodating directors Chris and James talked us through their elegant and highly considered work. The Stratford kiosk project was a favourite and I am sure that soon we will be seeing their work everywhere. Visiting an emerging practice like this is really beneficial for those of us trying to get our own practices going, Chris and James are at that next step and it was great to discuss their journey with them.

Carmody Groarke were the last practice visit for the day and after a 12 hour non-stop day we enjoyed beers and cheese while looking at their impressive range of projects. Many of the projects show an excellent engagement with production processes that allow them to find efficiencies and to produce inventive outcomes. Their temporary scaffold project on top of a Westfield shopping centre was a favourite and it was interesting to hear that they consider these temporary projects as a product not a building.

All practices visited today place a huge emphasis on physical models and it has been great to see the rigorous testing process of all the projects. It was a big day and one that will be remembered fondly for a long time. The team is weary but totally inspired….. Off to Barcelona tomorrow!!!!
Mel
Look at @MAKE_arch for pics on instagram, or #

Day 5 – London

Bright eyed and bushy tailed we set out on our second day in London!..and dare I say it, we have even been treated a weeee little sunshine!.
What a day!…covering all ends of the profession, treated to in-depth conversations with some of London’s finest…First cab off the rank CRAB Studio…common threads of the notion of ‘quality’ and the place of craft in the profession were hot topics and eagerly discussed – young emerging minds bouncing our ideas around with seasoned pro in Mark, was an amazing way to start the day, and left our merry little band nattering and ‘pinging’ off the walls as we weaved our way though the streets to Zaha….ah yes Zaha, what an experience, whimsical forms & the chance of getting behind the scenes with a vast array models & concept drawings was incredibly insightful and at a scale that needs to be seen to be believed!….scale being the question left hanging in all our minds….

MUF & then the Archi foundation both sporting an inspiring dedication to the community…Archi Foundation setting an amazing example of independent advocacy of the profession, and a great little lane way intervention with Gibons Rent!

Stanton Williams, these chaps know how to rock and roll, sticking to their guns, with a hands on honest approach!…and models, WOW! fantastic to see a practice of this scale using models, exquisite detail models through to rough & ready massing…fantastic to see! – was a treat….and a common thread in all practices to date, the use of models is really heartening to see and something I’m looking forward to ramp up back home!

Pecha Kucha at the RIBA, & after a few medicinal beverages to steady the nerves…not from fear of public spectical but rather to balance out the copious amount of caffeine consumed…we had the pleasure of showing what 5 kiddy-winks from downunder can do! What an opportunity, amazing fun, a good old chat, righting the wrongs of the world…what a blast and more great times to come!

Check out more images at #duluxstudytour and follow me on instagram or twitter @_seanhumphries

Day 4 – London walking tour

Bleary eyed yet grateful for any sleep that we managed to tuck under our wings on the 13 hour red eye flight from Shanghai, we started the day with Ken Allinson’s 9 hour walking tour. The day was filled ranging from historical references and a general overview of London’s history and evolution to visiting Kings Cross’s very active development site – are you sure that England is in recession?

One of the first projects for the day was Lumen United Reformed Church conceptually addressing issues associated with converting single use buildings into multi functional programmatic buildings to ensure that they are used on a regular basis. The addition of seminar and meeting rooms, common courtyard garden space and a cafe which now sits to the entrance of the congregation space. The line between community centre/cafe/church is blurred making use of a building typology that’s weekly use is minimal at best.

The Barbican containing 2000 apartments and tenancies housing 6000 residents sadly defines an era of concrete craft which we may never witness again. Robust, generous, a community exists defined by the mixed use podium below. We were thrilled to be invited to see a private apartment on the 33rd level within the Shakespeare Tower boasting a spectacular aerial survey of the south to north west of London. The joy of opening ellipse shaped concrete services cupboard doors and custom timber and brass window joinery, large 3m long sliding doors to subdivide kitchen/dining from living. All very good. Just what the architect ordered.

James Santer from AHMM generously showed us through TEA and Shoreditch House which forms a large internal master planning exercise being carried out in a series of existing buildings. The project has been developed over the past 10 years slowly evolving over time providing spaces primarily for advertising, media and technology companies. The alternative work place spaces provide a testing ground for varied work place relationships and models for operation. The large advertising agency Mother was a highlight with the generous warehouse volumes providing spatial opportunities not afforded within the confines of a typical commercial tenancy.

The Shard was up next providing the latest London ‘view’. The seemingly pure form of the Shard is lost once inside. Views out obscured at certain points by facade junctions and overlaps of form. The left over space dedicated to the viewing platforms over 3 levels brings into question the formal gesture taking precedence over use. The floor plates are narrow preventing the space from being used for any other function than that of foot traffic. A spectacular view, yet one leaves wanting more.

In contrast the final highlight for the day was visiting the top of the iconic Foster ‘Gherkin’. Swapping our sneakers for ‘smart’ shoes we made our way up to the apex of the building. The function space elegantly completes the form providing a 360 degree view of London while the curved structure pulls up to a circular skylight. The cathedral like space truly celebrates the act of viewing.

Friday 11 May…still in London town…

We are a little behind with our blog, but the tour has been so busy, that the down time has been limited…..we have just come off a PPE (personal protective equipment) aka hard hat tour of the Tate modern 02….. More about that, and the last two days, as soon as we slow down…..!!!
Maybe over a curry and a beer tonight.

Day 3-Shanghai >London

Yesterday we finished our evening at a rooftop bar overlooking the Bund, with the glimmering city as our backdrop. At precisely 11pm the city dimmed and the 30 storey billboards ceased dazzling. This is one Shanghai. Today we travelled the breadth of this enormous city and along the way viewed the Shanghai that accommodates most of its people, the cloned apartments towers that are stamped out across the horizon. Whether this is progress was a question that each of us considered.
Our first visit was the Giant Campus, designed by Morphosis, for an Internet gaming company. In its contrast to the city fringy where it is set, it’s almost like a concession, where other rules apply. Through a guided tour, we were able to see how soaring formal ambitions where translated into the local context. The sweeping roof garden, covered with flowers, was a delightful highlight.
We then visited the office-workshop of Archi Union, set in a Creative Park, AKA former industrial estate. Their compound is shrouded by an undulating wall made from concrete blocks, that acts as a dynamic screen. Scattered in the grounds were other prototypes and models, the tools of a practice deeply engaged with rethinking how a new architecture can be made in the new China, where skill is replaced by labour. Archi Union also curate exhibitions and conferences and are emerging as leaders in their research into digital tectonics.
Inspired, challenged, and weary we departed this amazing city, bound for London… All luggage accounted for and with a final horhorhohohohoho…. AP

London

We have arrived in London, it’s rainy and grey – typical London really.
Shortly we will meet with our good friend Ken Allinson for his famous walking tour.
We will finish at 4pm at The Shard viewing platform, and then a quick G & T at the bar at top of the Gherkin.
Adam will then post a catch up post from yesterday…and Amy will post about today’s adventure at the conclusion of the day.
Bernadette

Day-1 Melbourne > Shanghai

Day 1 …well better late than never! …Excuse the casual banter….day 1 blogs a toughly! we did os travel thing! The run starts tomorrow with a ripper walking tour of the city! ..but to elaborate slightly… And we have lift off!….10.5hrs of China Air, a couple of bad movies….& dare I say it….a fosters! Mix it all in with a few mid flight chin wags, the hoarding of bread rolls, chicken with potato & potato with chicken and we have touchdown!… Let’s face it after 10.5hrs in the air with CA excitement was going to come think & fast…and it did! Welcome to Shanghai…. Oh my, airports are usually cavanous rabbit warrens of disparate spaces, but here what grabbed me was the SCALE! cavanous rabbit warren!…disembarking in shanghai international in the evening we were greeted by what could quite easily be describe as one EPIC space! By no means an architectural feat – un inspiringly drab certainly….but epic!….heightened by the fact it was pretty empty and just…kept…on…going, kinda like Escher messing with perspective! Thankful that we only disembarked at gate 79 we just kept on walking, taking in the BIGNESS of emptiness! ….Hello mag-lev & a 301km/hr dart across to Pudong, and straight into heated discussion with the taxi mafia! But thanks to some bolshy quip, we were able to hold our heads high knowing that we only paid 4x the going rate! Shanghai at night, a technicolor sea of visual craziness….deciding in to the maelstrom zipping off the freeway via a concentric spiralling ramp, seemingly down through the roof tops & between the sky scrapers was just plain old cool! All checked in, knackered & hanging out for some shut-eye we finished the day quite sensibly…..an amazing meal, accompanied by non other than fish-balls, warm longnecks and discussions on things that go boom!…..or was it boom boom?…. It was a long day, but a cracker! SH

Shanghai – Day 2

Shanghai….. a city of extremes. From the fine grain of the small shops and lanes to the super-skyscrapers of Pudong, today we have been given a fantastic walking tour of the city by the lovely, and enthusiastic Ansgar. It was ‘study tour boot camp’ with non stop walking and no breaks, the group held up well and the delicious lunch at 3pm was well worth the wait.

As an architect there is a sense that one should be impressed by all of the progress. There has been a huge amount of development in such a short time and the scale and size of the city and its buildings certainly are impressive. However, the things that stand out for me are the small moments of occupation and engagement with the city: the washing hanging out over the street, the men carrying the waste for recycling on their bikes and the shared kitchen facilities in a small villa with a tap and light for each tenant.

With a visit to the Urban Planning exhibition centre there was much discussion on the planning of the city. It is possible to clearly see the points where the planning has shifted from being pedestrian and bike focused to a focus on the car. In the older areas the buildings are bursting at their seams and the streets are filled with activity spilling onto the street. The mix of program at a fine grain gives the areas texture and life. In the new areas the large and impressive skyscrapers dominate the skyline, the scale shift is huge and the space between the buildings vast. Life in these areas is more about moving quickly in your car to the next destination, it is not the place for a pedestrian or a game of cards on the street.

My building highlight of the day was the tobacco tycoons’ villa at Bubbling Well lane, beautiful brick detailing with custom corner bricks made for each corner. The street highlight was the elevated planters that maintained space for bike parking underneath.

A wonderful way to start the trip and a truly great city to visit.
Mel

for pics of the day see @MAKE_arch twitter or #duluxstudytour

Day 3 shanghai

Day 3
Today the tour emerged from its slumber into the academic, with a clear wake up of practice discussion. BAU hosted us for expresso coffee and urban design theory which opened our eyes to was of dealing with mega projects (5sq Km) – systems to dissolve and resolve. It was refreshing to see Australian academic research being applied… Alexander’s theory of walking cites for the 21st century.
Next stop ( and a personal favorite ) had me giddy with excitement. Neri & Hu’s managing director Jerry Uy Del Fierro welcomed us to their 7460×4580 meeting room and talked us through their many projects represented by the dozens of models. If you have not discovered NH Dro, you need to catch up, their work is spectacular – adaptive reuse at its best.
Shanghai’s growing creative precincts is being supported by the great work Logon are doing. We were lucky enough to be treated to a site visit to 800, a ‘restoration’ project which has reused industrial building in the heart of the city.
Next was Johnnie Walker House, admired the elaborate interiors and subtleties of blended whiskey.
Must keep walking, dinner is waiting…

Hello Shanghai

We have all arrived safe and sound in the city of Shanghai.
A quick wander to stretch the legs, a feed and a few beers, and now bed….that’s about day one done!
Sean will write a more elaborate account tomorrow!