Studio 13
Beyond Biophilia
Kieran Leong and Stephen Webb
Studio Description
...in search of the experiential dimensions of community.
This studio seeks to test the limits and possibilities of biophilic design as it applies to community architecture. The studio will be based and run out of DesignInc’s city offices in the GPO building. Monday evenings and Thursday lunch session will provide first hand opportunities to experience the workings of and architectural practice. Students will have full access to our lab space during office hours. Community and biophilic design principles and communication techniques will be learnt through exercises carried out in the DesignInc studio with our design team and industry guests.
Themes and ideas:
Beyond biophilia: can the experiential aspects of nature provide inspiration for design solutions? … going beyond biophilia and biomimicry as a static set of patterns.
Retrofitting for community: what should a next generation community health building be and do?
Polyvalent spaces: can community spaces adapt and flex over time – responding to seasonal and longer time frames analogous to natural habitats evolving?
Studio Outcomes
Freehand drawing and model making will begin contextual investigations into the experiential qualities of nature and proceed to establishing a conceptual, urban, architectural standpoint. Learnings will then be applied to the design of a community health building on a site within the Arden precinct in North Melbourne. This will lead to the conceptual design and design development of a community health building of approximately 2000sqm.
Studio Phases:
- Intensive urban (theoretical and physical) exploration in group and studio teams to establish a conceptual urban architectural standpoint (1:2000/500).
- Conceptual design for site precinct and building, based upon a refined brief for a community health building of approximately 2000sqm(1:500/200).
- Developed design for the community facilities with a focus on community and nature interfaces and relationships (1:100/50).
Studio Leaders
STEPHEN WEBB. As design director in our Melbourne studio, Stephen is pivotal in the formation of concepts, and developing schemes for design competitions and award-winning projects. Stephen was one of the principal designers of CH2 and of the Bio21 Institute at the University of Melbourne. Other award-winning projects he has designed include the Ballarat Community Health Primary Care Centre and the K2 sustainable housing complex in Windsor.
Stephen combines a unique design and sketching talent with an extremely broad knowledge of architectural theory and practice, and urban design. He is recognised in the industry as a highly strategic thinker across many building types, frequently working directly with state and local government at project inception.
As an early advocate and developer of biophilic design principles, he is passionate about the potential of the build environment to reconnect people with nature. In 2014, Stephen was selected as one of 20 of Australia’s leading architectural practitioners, featuring in the book From the Ground Up: 20 ‘Stories of a Life in Architecture’.
KIERAN LEONG has more than 12 years’ experience across a broad range of project typologies. As an Associate, at DesignInc, Kieran is involved with the leadership and design of projects at all stages. His current projects span health & wellbeing, residential and education facilities at a range of scales. He is closely involved with learning and development within the practice and externally as a member of the building council for Open House Melbourne.
He is passionate innovative design outcomes. His design process follows strong, logical methods of investigation and seeks opportunities to create environments that encourage positive experiences, interaction and connection.
Reading & Reference
Biophilia. Edward O Wilson The Biophilia Hypothesis. Kellert and Wilson Building for Life. Kellert Biophilic Design . Kellert Biophilic Cities . Tim Beatley Terrapin Bright Green Publications https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/publications/ 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design by Terrapin Bright Green https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/reports/14-patterns/ Biophilia – and healing http://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Biophilia-Healing-Environments-Salingaros-p.pdf Living Futures Institute https://living-future.org/ Case studies https://living-future.org/biophilic-design-case-studies/ Ask Nature https://asknature.org/ IDEO – nature - biomimicry cards https://www.ideo.com/post/nature-cards Nature deficit disorder http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/06/130628-richard-louv-nature-deficit-disorder-health-environment/ Human-modified ecosystems and future evolution http://www.pnas.org/content/98/10/5458.full Beyond Biophilia: Human need and right to nature https://integrales.wordpress.com/tag/human-right-to-nature/ Biophilic cities http://biophiliccities.org/about/
ST1/13 Monday 5-8PM, DesignInc, Level 2 GPO Building, 350 Bourke Street
ST2/13 Thursday 11:30-2:30PM, DesignInc, Level 2 GPO Building, 350 Bourke Street