BY GABRIELLE EGAN
You are to collect a series of between 10 – 15 photos that highlight features of urban design from cities around the world.
For each photo you are to complete a PMI analysis. You are also to explain why each of the photos has relevance to your project.
Image 1:
Zero Walls Apartment from Tokyo, Japan.
INTERNATIONAL IMAGE DESIGN PORTFOLIO: IMAGE PORTFOLIO & PMI ANALYSIS
Plus:
- Unique and interesting - the fact that it doesn't have traditional walls means that there's already an appeal
- Encourages eco-friendliness as there's a lot of greenery
- Aesthetically pleasing colour scheme that looks fresh
- Space efficient as it builds upwards
- The building is located in the middle of the city
Minus:
- May not appeal to a wide variety of people as the new concept of "no walls" may be a bit scary for some
- The maintenance of the plants might be difficult, as this building is aimed for those who work in the city meaning these residents may not have a lot of time
Improvements:
- Minor improvements should be made in order to allow more than one person/group to live on on floor, because this means it's difficult to cater for more residencies
- There should be a system as to how the plants are taken care of
- More shelter could be provided for people
Relevance:
- It's a very unique idea, and it shows how unconventional living areas of ideas can be brought to life and be made to look very appealing
- It demonstrates that greenery can be included in a variety of places and not just parks
- Incorporates modern ideas and the Guilding Principle of improving the 'internet of things' is certainly evident here
Image 2:
The Lantern Pavilion from Sandnes, Norway
Plus:
- Has an open roof
- Has a very aesthetically appealing design
- Is made from Norwegian wood (and glass) allowing it to contribute to Norway's architecture and Norway's own wood industry
- It has many different purposes as it's the centre of town (i.e weekly markets, concerts, events)
- Is available to all
Minus:
- Takes up a lot of space and materials
- As it is larg and built on current trends, it may not suit the town in the future
- Takes up 140 square metres, which, when the population grows in the future, may be a lot of space that can be used for residencies
Improvements:
- Could possibly take up less space and include more greenery
- Could incorporate 'the internet of things' and have more innovative technologies incorporated into it
- Had the chance to be made out of more renewable materials for it to be environmentally friendly
- As it lights up at night, it could use (or partially use) a more renewable energy source
Relevance:
- Shows the importance of having a 'defining place' in our area, as this lantern is now central to Norway's identity
- Shows the importance of design and making the area aesthetically pleasing
- Shows the importance of public areas that are available to everyone and can be used for a variety of occasions
Image 3:
Winner of Vancouver's first Urban Design Awards - Large Residential Building from Vancouver, Canada
Plus:
- Unique structure and modern, but still aesthetically pleasing
- Sound absorption is provided by the wood cladding on the walls with 'acoustically rated' window glazing to reduce noise pollution
- Space efficient and fits many residencies
- Used an old space (car parks) and instead of knocking it down, the developers turned the car park into something more useful
Minus:
- As there are many residencies, there will be lots of energy used in the building
- Doesn't particularly fit in with its surroundings, meaning that the apartments look out of place
Improvements:
- Could be more environmentally sustainable, incorporate greenery than there is at the bottom of the building and use more renewable power
- Could have more surrounding buildings and facilities to make the building look like it fits into its surroundings more
Relevance:
- This building was originally as old car park, meaning that in Rozelle Bay unused car parks can be turned into residential areas
- It demonstrates that making a structure more unique in apartments can increase liveability by a lot
Image from:
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/09/city-vancouver-announces-winners-inaugral-urban-design-awards/
Image 4:
Urban Apartment from New York, America
Plus:
- Described as a building none like any other in New York
- The apartment had a key theme (geometry) which makes the area more recognisable
- Space efficient and can fit many residencies
- No two apartment buildings are alike there which is appealing to buyers as it makes those apartments unique
- Glass allows people to experience natural light/heat
Minus:
- Located in a busy area with noise pollution
- Would take a lot of thought to plan out every room being designed differently
- Doesn't consider environmental sustainability
Improvements:
- Even adding more greenery will make it more environmentally sustainable, but it would be even better if there was some sort of renewable energy used
- Use a greater variety of matierals when designing the exterior of the building to make it more aesthetically pleasing
Relevance:
- This building (although in our individual project we will most likely not have to pay this much attention to detail) shows that attnetion to detail when desiging the interior of an apartment plays a major part in how a place is appealing
- Make the resident feel as if they're unique somehow in order to appeal to them more as an individual
Image 5:
Recycled “Gecekondoo” Emergency Shelters from Istanbul, Turkey
Plus:
- Offered quick and low-cost shelter for the victims of urban renewal operations in Turkey when people had to leave their homes
- Aimed towards people of a low income which allows that area to besupportive of those in Turkey currently without a home
- Is made from recycled materials
- Is available to anyone who needs it
Minus:
- As it is a short term solution, it isn't completely stable or able to have a large number of residencies, but it's for those without a home and isn't won't be a long term solution meaning that it doesn't necessarily have to fit all criteria for an urban building
Improvements:
- If it was a long term solution or decided to be ongoing, this place could expand and then be available to more people in different areas
- More greenery could be included, again if it was a long term building
Relevance:
- Shows the importance of having areas that are available for times of urban renewal operations where people in low income housing may not have lots of options and need a temporary place to stay
- Demonstrates that the area needs to cater to a diversity of people, and needs to be able to adapt to fit the current needs of these people
Image 6:
Hanging Office from Moscow, Russia
Plus:
- Doesn't disrupt cityscape (traffic, people walking through etc)
- Caters to Moscow's emphasis on modern buildings
- Is placed between two pre-existing buildings, making the use of space
- Accessible from an outer staircase and also has guarded roof access
Minus:
- Modern design doesn't match the more traditional design of the two brick buildings that the office is in between
- All the furniture, windows etc inside the building aim to be polygonal which would take a long time to plan
- At night, the office glows from within when lights are still on as the walls are transluscent, meaning that people's sleep could be disrupted and driving could be disturbed
Improvements:
- Include something in all three buildings to make them somehow more consistent
- Make the glowing building in the night still present, but a little less distracting or disruptive
- As it lights up at night, it could use (or partially use) a more renewable energy source
Relevance:
- Highlights the importance of using space, and being able to think of innovative ideas of how to use space in the most effective way possible
- Shows the emphasis on making buildings more modern so they stay relevant in the future, and people are able to find them more aesthetically pleasing
- Makes it clear that making room for offices or other facilities doesn't have to impact liveability - it is possible to add new buildings without disrupting the cityscape and having to replan streets
Image 7:
Stacked Apartments from Singapore, Singapore
Plus:
- New approach at contemporary living in a tropical environment
- Stacking buildings allows more room for greenery as the roofs of each of the buildings are horitzontal and have a larger surface area for greenery
- There are 1,040 apartments meaning there are definitely a lot of residencies, meaning it's catering to the growing population
- Modern design that integrates greenery with contemporary design
Minus:
- Lots of residencies could cause noise pollution
- Looks very confusing making it less appealing to potential buyers
- High-density and people may be too close together
- Lines are a little clinical and take life away from the building
-The stacked appearance seems to make the buildings disconnected and it looks physically to be unsafe
Improvements:
- Could be more rounded to create a less clinical atmosphere
- Could be less confusing, have more direction or be clearer
- More greenery, or make the building in general have a bit more colour/different materials in order to give the building a nicer or more friendly atmosphere
- As there are more residencies, there should be more renewable energy used
Relevance:
- Shows unique ways to cater to the growing population, shows how more residencies can be created in a way where buildings don't have to be majorly tall
- Encourages creativity and shows one building that can have 1,040 residencies
- Also shows the possibility of howmore space for greenery can be incorporated
Image 8:
Turning Torso from Malmö, Sweden
Plus:
- First twisted skyscraper, making it a unique attraction in Sweden
- Added a unique feature to Malmö's skyline
- Second tallest residential tower in Europe
- Torso's 26,000m² ground plan includes 4,200m² of office space and the rest for residencies
- For reidents, the tower has a manned reception, two saunas, a gym and a function site
Minus:
- It's one colour, doesn't have a friendly atmosphere
- Doesn't blend in with its surroundings meaning that it looks too big compared to its surroundings
- The pentagonal design requires more external structure meaning that it has extra structure on it's outside making that part of it less aesthetically pleasing
Improvements:
- If the building wasn't built so high up, it wouldn't need the extra stability that's built on the outside
- More buildings could surround this residential area meaning that it could have more surrounding facilities and it can fit in more
- Could include ore colour to make it more aesthetically pleasing and give it a more approachable and liveable place
Relevance:
- Shows how new infastructure can be built to make an area appear more modern
- This building has been existing for ten years and won a ten year award in Europe, meaning that this building was built to stay relevant, thus showing that modern infastructure keeps a place looking modern
Image 9:
Urban Hive building from Seoul, Korea
Plus:
- Double wall construction to increase stability
- Honeycombed exterior concrete wall eliminated the need for interior weight
- Interesting exterior design which would catch the eyes of the public
- Entrances (small triangles at each side of the building) are unique entrances that suit the building's geometric theme
Minus:
- It's one colour - although there's a pattern there still isn't a very friendly feel to the building making people not want to live or work there
- It's known as the "cheese grater" and although it's interesting to look at, not many people would actually want to live in an area styled like that
- Aesthetically, most people don't find it pleasing
- Environmentally, it could be more sustainable and incorporate more greenery
Improvements:
- Have other shapes that are less harsh on the eyes, more material than what appears to be metal to let it appear less harsh
- Could include more plants surrounding it to increase the amount of greenery to make it be more integrated into the environment
Relevance:
- Shows that being modern isn't always the best approach if liveability is at risk
- Eye-catching doesn't necessarily mean aesthetically pleasing
- People in different areas have different needs, this building appears to people in that area however here people have a different idea of what's aestehtically pleasing
Image 10:
Social Housing from Paris, France
Plus:
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Used for social housing, has 110 houses dedicated for social housing to include a diversity of people
- Innovative, new and modern patern that is used to attract people
Minus:
- Lack of colour in the building
- Lack of symmetry which makes it less aesthetically pleasing
- Isn't a unifying design, doesn't join the two areas
- The colour is a little clinical and takes life away from the building
Improvements:
- The centre design could be used to unify both parts of the apartments instead of separating them
- More greenery could be incorporated to add a sense of life to the building
- The buildings can be more symmetrical
- Larger window space instead of separating them into several areas
Relevance:
- Shows how design specifically can be incorporated into buildings and can be used to mkae a building more unique
- Shows the importance of consistency in buildings and having joining buildings be the same to the building is unified