24/04

2ND INTERMEDIATE CRITIC

the same "ok, go on"..... i feel lucky.
he was not that nice this time though (maybe because my explanation was shitty and the project had quite obvious unsolved questions that made me nervous... about the rest, i really think getting to a point where the structure was plausible has been a major achievement. now i think ill just stick to what i have and try to pull it together with much more strength. like, with a more "continuous" logic, actual answers to things and thought-of plans.

for now im working on the VERBAL EXPLANATION of the project because it was one of the biggest flaws in the critic (believe it or not). and it also helps to clarify ideas.

so:

the building is a shopping mall on top of the existing financial center of Madrid.

the area is one of the most economically active and well connected of the city: laying along a main arthery that crosses Madrid from north to south, it already features a huge department store, shopping street, gym, bingo, bar/clubs and more. it is connected by bus, train and metro, existing a big underground station from where to check in and take the metro line to the airport.

the shopping mall has a longitudinal development, connecting the roofs of different buildings in the area. the main programs are located on top of these roofs and they all get connected by a path/corridor that goes from one end to the other.

the shopping mall is targeted at businessmen, so the program is oriented in that direction and complement the programs existing underneath ("on earth"): office depot, media and technology store, catering services, wellness center, entertainment areas, bars and club.

there are entrances from each of the highest office buildings in the area. thay give access at different points of the path through a hallway that can be used for short term stay or access to the main programs.

people from the street can only enter the mall from the evening/night area, open outside office hours and on weekends. this area contains the club, bars, cinema facilities, wellness and catering.

there is another route parallel to the main path for service purposes. it has its own accesses from the street for distribution and features storage, kitchens, changing rooms, administration etc.

in total there are only 2 levels to walk across the mall, even though each volume can be up to 5 floors high.

the routes get connected in the volumes on top of the roofs. these volumes work as crossroads for all communications in a "distribution floor", at the level of the main path.
the layout of each volume gravitates around a central space and features connections as:
- distribution floor to main program floors by escalators
- distribution floor to service floor by ramp
- distribution floor to office hall floor by ramp
- all floors by lift

the skin of the building works as supporting structure and contains all spaces, either its filled in or not. it lays on pillars and some roofs, working as beams and bridges between buildings.

(i would like to) the pillars are entrances on their own, so they give access to the service floor or the main program depending on the area.

11/04

Email to the assistant from the CISV workshop at Lyon... no autocad, not much time to think either...


"Hi Andreas,

Just a hint of the thoughts Ive been having these days...

I wanted to come up with a coherent system that could articulate the spaces and facilitate the decision making process. That understood in the fluid way we had seen last time. For the moment the 3 path system in plan seems to work, but taking to the extreme the longitudinal way of working of the entire mall: that is, all the mechanisms, placements, transports, storage and everything necessary set in "the path". Like a mall_machine where everything works together with a logic but specifically a longitudinal machine. No center spaces (just centers created by intersection or "swallowing" of fluxes.

Then I thought about this thing of "the feeling inside and outside"; and what the mall has to offer that is unique to it and its main attractive.
The idea of the pipes, though it worked with the fluxes and everything; probably is not the best quality space to offer... so I am reconsidering the metaphor as a scheme of organization but not as a form.
And the main attractive was that obvious that didnt come to me at first... but it is the own essence of my shopping mall: being up in the sky!! it would probably be the only one in the world.. so i am trying to find ways to reinforce this idea, more than with appearance. As much exposed/open to outside program area as possible, for instance.

So this could be one parameter to place the program path, another that they have to be continuous, other that the accessess from buildings correspond with an intersection and are anchor points ( have programs like wc, small cafe, wifi area, etc that are not part of the main program areas..) and so on.

And then well, as an exterior appearance and possible structural solution I am exploring Roman aqueducts because, as well as being a clear metaphor of fluxes and a beautiful and interesting object to inhabitate (in different levels too), they got to solve topography problems (irregularities, gaps, rivers etc) with great flexibility and success.

Thats all for now. I am keeping on thinking and I will keep you posted on the evolution

Ainhoa"

05/04

i am completely stuck. dunno what to do.

last time i had critic i had defined quite clearly where the program was, in plan and section, and how the communications related to each other.

i dont know at what point i decided to start from scratch. i mean, not completely from scratch (obviously for 2 reasons:

1- "never throw a project away, make it evolve"

2- i would've been completely out of my mind)

i guess it was because of the problem of the area (yeah... couldnt let it go unnoticed as id have wanted) and the structure.

apparently i cant just lie on the buildings and trust their structure to work well for the additional weight.

so this has caused a revision of the geometry, and means the "parasite" is not going to parasite bone anymore, which essentially sucks. it is against the core of the thing.

anyway i figured i can reinforce the existing structure from the outside and go up from there. it would cling to the facade in order not to bend to one or the other side because of the weight. from these "legs" there can be an entirely separate structure, a platform that holds whatever is above.

it is kind of what oiza did with the bbva because of the train tunnel that was below.

thats a very good idea, in fact. i dont know how it works, i think it had to do with pre-tensed concrete.

so lets say a platform for the first level (9? 13?) and from there all the richness i want in the path. i dont know. somehow it feels fake.

then i have the problem of the bathrooms and supplies in general. common sense tells me there have to be "anchor points" with bathrooms and hangout-little cafe kind of commerce not very far from each office.

what is the criteria? where does the water come from?

i thought maybe they could be linked to main support cores... but since im just reinforcing the structure outside there are none. where then? where the existent cores break through? -that would be good if i knew which ones im going to keep and which i just go above...

i used to think letting all the cores show through and articulate the space was simplistic, and that i had to choose some to connect to the ground and some "blind" ones. ok. but as a geometric developer they helped me so much, so i think im keeping them. i will just not open them, let them be like huge opaque courtyards, or big pilars, whtever one sees...

i developed a path with the geometry of a highway. it was so beasutiful. structurally impossible though. i dont know whether to go to the critic with my stuff having not thought about structure and see what the critic says (hes supposed to be specialized in that). that would be easier. im so stuck right now with my pilars and my blablabla.

the highway was so aerodynamic. i lost this, but i guess the principle remains. that is: the flow of people defines where the program is and how its related to the path. it is a mall to be walked by.

it is probably a good idea to let the level rise and fall a little bit.... say a couple or three floors up or down. that way it is not so dramatic when it gets to a 9th or 6th floor. 9 floors of difference vs. 5-6 is quite considerable. 6 floors vs. 3 is quite much. i will try to work more on this (and end up with ramps, like 40% of the class!! yeha!)

i had this crazy idea today of making the path a tube and the program going from there tubes that superpose to the first. it would be powerful, in fact. i might consider it more seriously. plus, i would get the ultra-pure geometric approach theyre always asking for.

i have to work in transversal section first. i am lost!

then i can see how separated one and other parts are and fit it into the plan. the curves in plan nd section have to talk to each other.

first same size circles.

then difference program - path

then difference between programs

then difference between paths

ahhhhhhh...... wtf

worst timing ever. im going to lyon on wednesday and i cant have a critic, neither on thursday... its tomorrow or never - and i bet i dont have much to correct tomorrow.

(un) happy easter everyone

02/04

i got no strength left. its been a week (or two, i dont even remember) back and forth around the same, going crazy about the program, then the communications, then the heights... office timetible with its correspondent breaks (not many), sleep from 4am to 10 am. every single day. otherwise, class.

i will be concise and i dont give a fuck about explaining my previous stages (maybe another day.. theyre interesting)

CONCEPT
- parasiting: people (blood), cores (organs), structure (bones), area (skin). parasiting-complementing program. parasiting supplies -water, electricity.

HOW IT WORKS
- highway: constant flow of people, work, info. every building has an entrance to the highway. the walking/pass-by experience.

- levels: 17th floor program pathway, 13th floor service pathway

- nodes: media exchange terminals. catalyze all fluxes and manifest information.

- program: bars-lounge-disco, cinema-park, thermes, catering, tech supplies, mass production office items

PHYSICALIZATION
- structure (!!!): huge problem.
generally speaking itd be pathways inside huge trusses going all across on top of buildings, from one building to another etc. the space gets bigger (association with existing roof shape) when it arrives to nodes and program.
supposed to use a) existing communication cores b) roofs and eventually existing structural system.
possible solution = reinforce pilars and go down to make my own foundations + big truss to support my structure independently.


- looks: massive/perceivable outside and open inside. boxes (program) linked by bridges. possibility of mirror glass or traslucent plastic ¿? - this way lighter structure.


the HUGEST problem, apart from that of the structure, is the area. i have like 5 times my area or more (54200).
ill work, then, on keeping the program to one floor and making the paths much thinner (not totally adjusted to the shape of the roof, then)
this would imply having two big snakes connected every once in a while vertically
im thinking having some height flexibility coz its gonna be so BORING if i do it all on one floor (even though its easier).


think of
big airports that develop horizontally and shortcuts
elevator system for the tallest skyscrapers and how it can be applied horizontally
shopping streets and their "sub shopping themes"
see plans of train stations - euralille
see plans of cinemas / auditoriums
see roman thermes (and eventually vals)
images of ovnis
where the f***k are bathrooms and cores usually in towers? together? in the middle?


and yeah, im so fucking tired, i wanna go to sleep and not work anymore and i STILL DONT KNOW IF A HAVE A BEAMER TOMORROW!!!!




fuck them.

16/09 (2)

like i promised, the top five quotes from our Beloved:

"Architects have these obscure so-called "ideas", that are not ideas, and they cover them in tasteful materials"

"You have a tactic. A tactic is not an strategy. (It is like you say well, in this war we are going to go to France with guns, then shoot and return home)"

"Your building has to be challenging!! It has to be difficult!!"

"The idea should be able to be formulated in a sentence"

"Any decision you take might be right or wrong, but it has to be a positive decision"



** ps. im finding an awful lot of freaky and really gross stuff about parasites. man i really wish id chosen simbiosis or something like that. it makes me feel like all the insects in the world are going to come put their worms inside me.

16/03

FIRST INTERMEDIATE CRITICS

what a fucking nightmare!! i stayed all wednesday trying to print (from 1.30 to 10) and after that i was soooo fucking tired i couldnt even think of my project anymore. i think i might be ready again
(plus my sister and her friend came on friday and ive been showing them around/taking them out (specially the latter obviously) so its been my kind of holiday... i should work somehow today and tomorrow to be able to leave to madrid on wednesday... its being a great break but a little tight for working)

the critic went pretty ok, but just as usual i think. i mean, not an incredible fascination but a sort of "continue working, everythings ok". in fact he told me i had to be bolder, more monstrous.
its funny how all teachers agree on tellling me im shy here. thing is, yes, im shy, coz everyone tells me my projects in madrid and unrealistic and bullshit (of course thats my friends who are mostly conservative on constructive/projecting strategies, not teachers... i actuallty think all of them can be convinced by logic and usually find it fun to find an extreme/utopic project which can eventually be built).

i had been working on one version of the building til tuesday which was basically 2 connected volumes, one with an office extension (storage, meeting rooms, gym, offices, standup cafe...), the other with the leisure activities (from eating court to disco). there would be connections to the buildings below with communication cores.

well, so i decided to make it more accurate just on the day of the hand in (yay me, im the smartest one) and it was obviously more interesting but thats why i didnt get to finish printing til 10.
so finally i took into consideration the relief on the roofs (there were like different levels in each). i guessed some of them were the lift engines so i took them as a topography to work with and articulate the spaces... and they became so much richer. the program and the paths were finally defined and i stablished a more accurate use of the 54200 m2.
i liked thinking it was like this serpent of walking paths walking from the morning to the night, from work to leisure. a procesional conception of the spaces that were situated across this way and the tension of the 2 poles that sort of merged into each other.
it is also a response to the lack of space and conceived as a piece for further development around and on it (like a puzzle piece).
(i have to admit most of it was conceived afterwards, in a sort of analysis of what id done)

so as for the critic, in the end the conclusion was i had to choose another smaller place to be able to develop the m2 i had to cover much more extensively, with different entrances in the same building, crossings, parasiting on/around/covering the buildings. a sort of snake that goes around crazily. not only on the roof. then i can start thinking about structure-taking advantage of the existing, the connections and access from the buildings, how the spaces left work etc. basically that i should make the puzzle, not just a piece.

that because this piece was also "too polite", "too friendly", not really a parasite which is supposed to be somehow bad...people dont have an opinion about my building because they dont even see it!! it has to be more present, make people love it or hate it. i have to be a NICE MONSTER lol. (and neighbours will eventually move out hahha, leaving place for the ones who love it so much)

the words were: it has to be a CULT building, like weird films and icons that are NOT POPULAR because they are weird, not really understood, and people are not interested anyway.
Somewhere where EVERYONE WANTS TO GO (there i answered "but some people would hate it" and thats when he said the stuff about the neighbors, but not really about other people. i guess its because it would be so uglily fascinating that itd have an inherent attractive for everyone)

about all this i like the idea of:
- connecting a lot of places = net
- using the topography of the roofs
- tension between poles that drives to walking experience
- CULT (going over popular taste... like "im here, if dont like me dont look")


next edition, great quotes from the critics!

09/03

as you see the instensity of the blog decreases as the intensity of the work increases.


PARASITARY SECOND CITY ON THE EXISTING CITY

world trade center
businessmen only

3 targets: vip, regular, functional
focus on pre-work, coffee break, lunch break, afterwork + weekend nights
cover the entire business/leisure time

program:
- warehouse for storing
- stand-up bars
- small grocery
- eat-to-go
- evening pubs
- restaurant (vip and regular)
- meeting rooms
- gym / spa
- cafés (vip and regular)
- nightclub
- weekend evening restaurant/lounge/club/terrace

eye on circulations!! (first idea: total apartheid ---> doesnt work)
eventual zoning
eye on accesses!!
connection with the existent!!
eye on structure!!
eye on light and surrounding buildings' conditions!

from utopic to realistic (how to sell the idea politically, financially...)

what are the implications?? what does it mean?
is it...
- an artwork?
- a completely separate world?
- a connection system?

accuracy: plans of all the buildings taken

find approach to the aim: physical (architectural) idea



now it has more or less the appearance of a huge mass jumping from one roof to another. it is kind of funny and colossal.
and the area i was intendig to use is really close to the 54200 i gotta make, so i have to be glad.

now its time to go from the diagramatic to some further development of the functions and connections. if only i had that "architectural idea" we've been talking about for SO long. (which in fact is nothing else than a consistent way of putting things together.
at least i have always had the image clear (not like aesthetic or anything, but the kind of volume and the scale)

** i might cut out from a volume.
i should consider
- other buildings' sunlight and air conditioning
- street light (not really that much because its just a little that goes over the street)
- program (in 3D!!)
- circulations inside floors + from floor to floor + from building to building
- eventually some kind of relationship with the small changes on every roof