Studio 04

Love Hotel

Laura Martires and Virginia Mannering

This studio is available to students enrolled in ABPL90142 Studio C, ABPL90143 Studio D, and ABPL90115 Studio E.

Studio Description

In a world progressively detached from physical content architecture plays a key role as a mediator between ideas and reality. The spaces we create as designers have the potential to be truly innovative whilst still responding highly to context. It is here we operate. In this class, highly charged urban sites will trigger generative design processes in the creation of novel forms of architecture.

This studio will focus on the design of a ‘Love Hotel’ as part of a general urban research in which students perform a series of initial esquisse projects that deal with varied urban conditions around Melbourne. The esquisses will employ a variety of methods (such as character and narrative-building, generative or procedural design through site observation and investigative reading) with the aim of developing rich architectural responses that are quirky but resolved, local but unexpected.

Physical models are a key studio deliverable and students wishing to take the studio should watch the 2014 “Love Hotel” documentary before the first class.

Studio Outcome

Students work in pairs or small groups in the first half of the studio and generate 3 small scale interventions around the city (ex: Fitzroy, St.Kilda, CBD, Collingwood). On the second half of the studio students work individually to develop a project combining their initial esquisses into one medium scale design.’

Initially the focus will be on developing form, spacial relationships and narrative building through the drawing and analysis of the urban condition as well as short research tasks on the subject matter. The second half of the studio will see students developing one of these ‘shells’ and its interior, focusing on the experiential qualities of the spaces (light, colour, material, etc);

Students will develop design processes that are inherently urban and will gain experience in contemporary site analysis techniques, diagramming and 3D modelling.

In addition they will develop excellent drawing and representation skills that are unique and individual to their projects.

Studio Leaders

LAURA MARTIRES and VIRGINIA MANNERING have been running their individual studios at the University of Melbourne for several semesters. They are both interested in developing projects that respond highly to context at different scales. They aim to combine their expertise in urban and interior design to develop a comprehensive design studio that challenges students to question contemporary architectural design and their views on what ‘good’ responsive architecture should/could be.

Readings & References

• Love Hotel (2014), Philip Cox + Hikaru Toda

Further readings and references to be provided in class.

Schedule Mondays and Thursdays 10:00-16:30 in MSD Room 142

Travel Melbourne CBD | Weeks 1, 2, 3

Contact Handbook Key Dates