Material Metaphors: Spatial Cookbook V3.0

Eve Li & Tim Jones

Studio Description

Spatial Cookbook is an immersive architectural studio set in one of Melbourne's most vibrant suburbs, Brunswick. Here, the metaphor of product craft, culinary art, heritage, and environmental sustainability seamlessly converges, creating a dynamic space where these elements interact and inspire. This studio serves as a contemplative exploration of the intricate metaphor between these elements, housed within the embrace of an existing heritage building. The edifice becomes a culinary symphony, facilitating the making, processing, storing, and sharing of meticulously crafted edible delights. Front-of-house facilities are envisioned as immersive spaces, engaging visitors in gastronomic experiences, while back-of-house spaces exemplify efficiency in production and storage. Accommodation is ingeniously woven into the fabric, providing a sanctuary for workers to find rest, prepare nourishing meals, and tend to personal needs.

Spatial Cookbook is more than just architecture; it’s a vibrant, living metaphor where craftsmanship and culinary creativity harmonize with the historical fabric, creating a sustainable haven for both making and dwelling.

Studio Outcomes

The architectural studio is crafted with a vision to cultivate holistic design thinking among students, encouraging the expression of conceptual ideas across macro, meso, and micro scales. MM:SC studio students will individually delve into the process of sourcing, making, storing, and sharing an edible product, and be challenged to design a crafted architectural response to house these processes for their chosen edible product. Outcomes will be expected to achieve maximum utility and efficiency – be it energy, water, material, spatial, sociological – with the least amount of material. The studio aims to imbue students with a comprehensive skill set, from conceptualisation to justification, fostering a new generation of architects who engage deeply with the symbiotic relationship between design, environment, Heritage and creativity.

After successful completion of the studio, students will be able to:

• Critique the meaning of craft in the face of the growing emphasis on ESD in architecture and construction.
• Implement the basic principles of heritage conservation and adaptive reuse, performing a simple energy assessment of their design.
• Develop a cohesive architectural response at macro, meso and micro scales, and craft a series of architectural drawings, details and models to clearly convey their intentions.

Studio Leader/s

Eve Li

Is a registered architect with extensive experience working on projects across Australia, currently employed at FK Architects. She joined the firm in June 2021 and has quickly demonstrated her expertise in early design and project delivery, contributing to both large and small mixed-use developments. As a high-achieving graduate of the MArch program and a recipient of the Unimelb Dean’s Honour Award, Eve brings a fresh perspective to her work and an empathetic understanding of the student experience, enriching both her professional and teaching roles.

Tim Jones

Has 13 years of experience working in architectural practice. Ranging from small to large projects.  Delivering projects from Concept to Completion, including Residential, Commercial, Civic, Education, Aged Care and Heritage. The facilitation of educating all team members throughout the process is what has driven Tim, so all team members can feel a valid contribution to the project. As a senior mentor at FK, to also actively engages with graduates regularly to assist in their development into architectural practice.

Readings & References

Burra Charter

https://australia.icomos.org/publications/burra-charter-practice-notes/

Deliciously Designed : How design theory is applied to food production

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321906078_Deliciously_Designed_How_design_theory_is_applied_to_food_production

Food, Architecture and Experience Design

Fisker, A & Olsen, T 2008, ‘Food, Architecture and Experience Design’, Nordic Journal of Architectural Research, vol.20, no. 1, pp. 63–74.

Schedule:
Monday 3pm-9pm, MSD 144

Off-site Activities:
255-259, Albert Street, Brunswick, Victoria 3056
and 
FK OFFICE: Level 10/2 Riverside Quay, Southbank VIC 3006.

Contact Handbook