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DURING
the time I was in Sydney, I walked around the city to
get a real feel of its urban character. I went in and
out of buildings to study their designs, I took audio
tours of the special structures to learn more about the
way they were constructed, and I even sketched some
façades for hours just to identify the principles used
in their composition. During my “city walk,” I stumbled
upon this simple waiting shed. It was very simple in
form, in massing and in design, but for some reason I
felt that there was so much more to it than it seemed.
Sitting
between a railway and UTC, I reckoned that it had a dual
purpose: aside from being a waiting shed for commuters,
it also served as a shaded urban space which the
students from the university could use for special
events. To satisfy both uses, wide overhangs were used
that make the space usable rain or shine. A preparation
table for food was also punctuated into the design of
the wood-cladded podium that the roof sits on, creating
an interesting void into the otherwise solid base. I
realized that this principle of multifunctionality
should always be considered in designing structures so
as not to confine the user in utilizing the space in
only one way, and instead gives the user freedom to use
a particular space in a number of ways. In a house, for
example, convertibility of space should be considered so
that whether you have a small, medium, or huge party,
the house can adjust in accommodating the event by
simply just moving some partitions around.
THE eaves have a good
balance of solidity and lightness, as achieved by
the white surface integrated with a trellised portion.
The
design of the waiting shed is essentially a flat-roof
form, resting on two wooden podiums. It is very simple
in design but has a very interesting play of texture,
which results in a very interesting play of shades and
shadows as well. The eaves have a good balance of
solidity and lightness, as achieved by the white surface
integrated with a trellised portion. Having a trellised
canopy could be integrated in most portions of a
residence, with the principle of providing shade while
allowing filtered natural light to enter into a space.
It also casts a vibrant pattern of shadows on the
interiors, therefore texturizing surfaces.
A PREPARATION table for
food was also punctuated into the design of the wood-cladded
podium that the roof sits on, creating an interesting
void into the otherwise solid base. The principle of
multifunctionality should always be considered in
designing structures.
My
favorite lesson learned from this simple shed is how to
achieve the illusion of lightness. The designer was able
to make the roof appear as if it were floating. By
establishing the presence of a solid base, the viewer’s
visual expectation is that the roof is supposed to sit
on it. But by stopping the solidity just before it
touches the eaves and separating it totally, only to be
connected by slender circular columns, the roof now
seems to simply hover around the heavy base. To further
enhance this illusion, the designer decided to hide the
structural elements, such as the rafters and the purlins,
by locating them above the white eaves and the trellised
area. A typical structure would have the beams and
rafters carrying something, while here in the shed, the
ceiling and roof are hanging from the structural
components. People could easily be fooled into thinking
that there is no structural component in this shed. At
first glance, the wide cantilevered roof of the shed
looks like it is only supported on one side by the gray
circular columns. In reality, though, it is supported by
another group of randomly angled columns in the other
end. The reason why it is not noticeable is because the
random angles of the columns make it blend with the
landscape at its immediate back, making them look like
one of the branches.
THE designer decided to
hide the structural elements, such as the rafters and
the purlins, by locating them above the white eaves and
the trellised area. The other end of the roof is
supported by another group of randomly angled columns
that appear to blend with the landscape at its immediate
back.
One of
the problems in the structures locally is that it wears
against natural forces. Most structures look dirty after
a few years from completion because measures were not
taken to fight against natural wear and tear. By simply
painting this shed in dark colors, it will not appear
dusty and dirty that easily, even if it is beside a
railway. The eaves still look crisp and white, as if it
were newly painted. This is achieved by using a slender
drip mold at the lower portion of the fascia board. The
principle behind this is that even before the water
creeps into the eaves, the drip mold purposely lets it
drip down to the ground already. If architects take all
of these into consideration more seriously, then we
would have more fresh-looking structures in our city.
I
realized that I don’t need to go to a grand structure to
learn design principles. This waiting shed taught me a
lot about design and prevention of building degradation
than most of the structures I saw in Australia. I
constantly apply these principles I learned in the
structures that I design, and they always work like a
charm. When I go back to Sydney, I will definitely drop
by this waiting shed to thank him for teaching me a few
tricks.
***You
may e-mail the author at
design@buensalidoarchitects.com and visit his web
site at
www.buensalidoarchitects.com. |
