Studio 21

Beyond Biophilia

Kieran Leong & Lavanya Arulanandam

Studio Description

This studio seeks to test the limits and possibilities of a biophilic design approach as it applies to community architecture.

The studio will be based and run out of DesignInc’s offices in Melbourne's GPO building. You will learn about community and biophilic design principles, and communication techniques through various exercises taught by our design team and industry guests.

Studio sessions will provide first-hand opportunities to experience the workings of an architectural practice. Students will have full access to our lab space during office hours. Freehand drawing and modelmaking will begin contextual investigations into the experiential qualities of nature and proceed to establishing a conceptual urban architectural standpoint. The studio will have a close connection and interaction with the DesignInc Melbourne practice.  All studio sessions will be held in the DesignInc Melbourne “lab”, a flexible 60 sqm space in the heart of the city.

Themes and Ideas

• Retrofitting for community - How can architecture compliment and respond to current and future community needs?
• Beyond biophilia - Going beyond biophilia and biomimicry as a static set of patterns, how can the experiential aspects of nature provide inspiration for design solutions?
• Human rights to nature - How can we put focus on equitable community access to nature, shared healthy spaces and facilities?
• Polyvalent spaces - Can community spaces adapt and flex over time – responding to seasonal and longer time frames analogous to natural habitats evolving?

Studio Outcome

The chosen site is the existing North Melbourne community centre, Buncle street North Melbourne. This is a strategic site (approx. 3Ha) for the city of Melbourne with surrounding intensive redevelopment likely to rely heavily on this site for its community and shared infrastructure.

The brief to students will include strategic understanding of community uses with a final focus on developing an architectural response, for a community centre including library, early learning and healthcare uses of approximately 2000sqm

By participating in this studio, you will:

• Develop conceptual skills, critical thinking and understanding of integrated, wholistic design with a focus on community buildings.
• Develop design skills of how natural systems and processes can be used as analogy for architectural ideas, materiality and expression
• Experience firsthand a practice studio based approach to biophilic and integrated design

Studio Leader

The studio will be led in partnership by Kieran Leong (Associate) and Lavanya Arulanandam (Architect) with regular contributions and workshops with other DesignInc team members and industry experts. As part of the studio, students will have consistent access to mentors from the DesignInc team to provide additional support on their project work.

KIERAN LEONG. Kieran Leong is an architect with over twelve years’ experience on a broad range of project typologies from boutique scale to large multi-stage developments. His involvement starts from initial feasibility studies and concept design, and continues through to documentation and project administration. Passionate about quality design resolution, Kieran involves his clients, stakeholders and design teams in not merely meeting a brief, but exceeding its expectations.

Kieran is passionate about innovative design outcomes. His design process follows strong, logical methods of investigation and seeks opportunities to create environments that encourage positive experiences and interaction

LAVANYA ARULANANDAM. Lavanya is a registered Architect with over 6 years of professional experience on a range of Architectural and Urban design projects. Her unique visual communication skills underpinned by her strong technical abilities allow her to contribute to DesignInc’s high quality commercial, residential, civic and retail projects. Her design process is founded on practical, human centric solutions with artistic and innovative flair. Lavanya’s design sensibilities veer strongly towards human scale design, quality public realm outcomes, and promoting quality of place at the ground plane.

Readings & References

• Biophilia. Edward O Wilson The Biophilia Hypothesis. Kellert and Wilson Building for Life.
• 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
• Kellert Biophilic Design . Kellert Biophilic Cities . Tim Beatley Terrapin Bright Green Publications https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/publications/
• Living Futures Institute https://living-future.org/ Case studies https://living-future.org/biophilic-design-case-studies/
• IDEO – nature - biomimicry cards https://www.ideo.com/post/nature-cards

Schedule Tuesdays 17:00-20:00 at DesignInc; Thursdays 11:30-14:30 at DesignInc
Travel Some Site Visits

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