project 3 – Amy Ma

These are some material precedents that will relate to my project ideas and aid me in the creation of my sculptural object. These include methods of making, joining, finishing, etc. that highlight significance for my own design work and the evolution of creating my 3 dimensional installation.

The overall theme I want my sculpture to encapsulate is natural and primitive. I wish to pay homage to the Japanese culture of Zen and meditation. With my client’s collection of plants this will be a harmonious collaboration of the two.

Bamboo

The organic and natural material is used in parts of Asia and even in more urban cities such as Hong Kong. It is said to be more strong and flexible than Steel. It is easily available in these parts of the world, and cheaper since there is less process in creating these bamboo poles than steel or other metals and it is grown locally. They can be easily discarded and re-used for other purposes without much impact on the environment. It is a common construction material for centuries in China, thus is a well trusted method in creating a stable structure with the right tying techniques. It is one of the most fastest growing plants on earth and it self multiplies due to its root system. It is light-weight, faster to put up and take down than steel and has a higher tensile strength thus making it more flexible and easier to manipulate than steel. This material will be a suitable choice as the main frame of my structure as the layout is very similar to a temporary scaffolding structure, thus I will hopefully get trustworthy results using bamboo as it has been used for centuries in this way.

Traditional Bamboo Lashing

Japanese square lashing, a video demonstration | The Kid Should See This — Japanese square lashing tying two pieces together

Lashing is a primitive method of binding and fastening one thing to another using a cord or rope of some sort. It is more effective than metal fastenings. This method does not use glue or drilling, therefore it is a non-destructive technique for materials and minimises the use of equipment. I find it is a sustainable method of creating as it does not damage the structure of the materials, and uses minimal additions. All is needed is a tying rope and this could be natural and biodegradable. Since it does not damage the material, after its use, the objects and rope could be untied and used for another project. In my opinion, it is a great way of preserving materials so they can be recycled in another fashion without comprising their integrity.

Japanese square lashing is a fast alternative to other fastening techniques and I found it is a very tight binding method as there was minimal movement laterally and vertically with the two bamboo sticks. Traditionally, this knot is used with natural fibre rope to secure bamboo and other architectural structures in Japan. It is used by many Scouts since discovered by British Scouter John Thurman in 1962 during his tour in Japan. To note, this technique is used to secure bamboo sticks at right angles to each other. This will be a great method to tie my structure together and able to hold my plant, the main feature and purpose of the sculpture.

Weaving

The process of weaving can be done with Bamboo canes or Rattan which is also another type of cane. The strips are interlaced at right angles or plaited and woven. It is traditionally done in Southeast Asia such as Japan and China. This technique creates an air of relaxation and natural sophistication to an environment as it is a carefully intricate design yet organic. There are many ways of weaving the canes, some are more time consuming than others however give more strength and durability to the overall structure. Historically, cane was clean and hygienic making it very popular in furniture as parasites, mites and bugs had no place to live in the weave and over time the patterns have become more dense and intricate. The more densely traditional patterned texture will be a significant addition to my sculpture as this will act as a supporting base to house my client’s plant collection and my pattern can be woven around the bamboo structure, similar to how cane is woven around furniture frames.

Coir

Free Potted Plants Hanging Outdoors Stock Photo — Coir used as plant pots

Also known as coconut fibre, it is natural fibre and extracted from the outer husk of a coconut and used in products such as floor mats, brushes, baskets and pots. It is recently popular as a potting mix and organic soil as it increases air porosity. The fibrous material is strong, water resistant, slower to decompose than peat, lightweight and resistant to mold, fungus and pests. It is also sustainable as it is a by-product, bio-degradable, renewable and eco-friendly. This makes it a fitting material to house my plant in the form of a plant pot and possibly use in the soil mix.

Future Bathrooms

The Initial Bathroom

First starting this project, I was faced with a creative block as I found difficulty in designing past the barrier of a conventional bathroom, since I was used to seeing bathrooms in a way that we deemed we normal and I found it hard to elevate this. It is safe to say I hadn’t encountered a project so far that evolved to this extent in regards to the design and my thought process of how an interior space can be laid out.

My initial draft bathroom design is very different to the end result however am glad I experienced the journey I took towards the destination. The project pushed my creative boundaries, to think outside the box and see a greater potential for a space past a bog standard design criteria such as a bathroom.

When I first came up with the concept for the bathroom, I thought about the key words in designing for my client: well-being, healthy living and Japanese Zen. My client collects and grows plants that focus on promoting the well-being of others by bringing them into interior spaces. Therefore I wanted to base my bathroom design around his ethos and follow the Japanese bathrooms and rituals as they focus on mindfulness and spirituality which also contribute to ones healthy well-being. This will compliment my clients collection.

I researched into Onsen baths and bathing rituals, and found traditionally you would shower first before soaking in the bath which governed my design to have two separate cleaning zones. Japanese themed bathrooms such as the Fujiya Ryokan in Ginzan Onsen Village in Yamagata and the Nobu Ryokan hotel in Malibu inspired me to use wooden accents, similar to saunas, and raw materials like unpolished stone tiles and cedar wood which is known to be aromatic and relaxing.

Since my client collects air purifying plants, I wanted to incorporate natural ventilation and air flow into the bathroom. It seemed fit because bathrooms have a build up of hot air and condensation which can form mould if not ventilated properly. This is where I found the Maruhon Ryokan in Japan which cleverly utilises a buoyancy driven system where cold air enters through an opening and rises when it becomes hot into another opening at the top. The air pattern allows for a curved roof above the bath. I applied this to my bathroom design, so the top opening partially acts as a skylight for the shower and bath.

I drew up my sections and plans in AutoCAD and I found creating technical drawings with dimensions a lot easier to then create my drawings and become confident in my designs, having explored the functionality of my space and knowing it could realistically work. I produced perspective renders on AutoCAD and photoshop for the first time and I found this to be something I really enjoyed as my designs materialised from concept into digital visualisations that I could have control of.

After The Tutorial: Final Bathroom Brief

Following the tutorial, I learned that I was too hung up on the conventional bathroom design and I needed to elevate this further. I then developed my keywords into plant geometry, which later shaped the spatial layout of my bathroom. Developing a mood board helped me centre my concentration on fractals, the Fibonacci sequence and phyllotaxis which later developed into the golden angles of exactly 137.5 degrees.

After analysing the golden angle diagrams, I considered having separate zones in each of the golden angle. The angles are obtuse therefore they overlap so I knew I had to use layering and overlapping to distinguish the zones and angles. To do this, I wanted to create a bathroom that spirals upwards with height levels using steps, similar to how plant leaves sprouts and spirals in the golden angle. I wanted to create a central point, a vacancy, a common place that you gravitate towards to bring the bathroom together, similar to a plant stem where leaves grow from. I instinctively thought of the shower and having a natural waterfall coming into the centre point, eliminating the conventional shower head. Waterfalls are a design feature incorporated in many Japanese bathroom designs in the form of taps however I wanted to take it literal to reproduce the connection with nature. The shower being the main point and on ground floor, it logically made sense to place the bath at the highest level, so you are working your way up to bathe and following the traditional bathing sequence using the golden angle plant sequence.

The waterfall idea reminded me of the Jewel Changi Airport. I must have taken inspiration to this or saw the resemblance after incorporating it into the bathroom shower. This feature re-uses the water as it pumps it back up into the roof to create a cycle of constant flow. This was something to consider for the shower, to sustainably re-use the water with a filtering system. Also, the air movements create a spiral effect and active cooling system due to the drag force of the falling water, which was another aspect to consider.

Image 1: Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore

I delved into organic sink designs, as I wanted the bathroom to feel as earthy and raw as possible, to emulate a natural environment alongside the mathematical arrangement of the bathroom.

With all this in mind, I could create my drawings in AutoCAD, which helped me in visualising my atmospheric section. Drawing up dimensions always help me in creating a space that can work realistically and I can get an idea of spatial ratios.

Tag: project 3

H&T Project 3: Material Precedents