Architectural Studio 3 allowed us to delve deep into the specifics of materials and how the choices we make determine every aspect of the building. Earth was the focus of my studio, and more specifically I chose clay.
The first assessment focused on the combination of different things into our chosen material (clay) and how this would make it stronger or weaker as a structural material.
The second assessment was to design a pavilion with our chosen material and to choose a site that was appropriate to our material. Choosing clay, and specifically red clay from the South Coast/ Wollongong region, I “built” my pavilion in the Royal National Park. The pavilion is intended to be a place of quiet solitude and allowing nature to take over your surroundings and the clay bricks to ground you and dampen the noises of the park it sits in.
The third and final assessment was to design an art gallery, artists quarters and studio space on Mackenzie point in Sydney so that it could be involved in the Art by the Sea in Bondi. Taking into consideration the site conditions, people traffic, and our previously chosen material we were given free reign to design.
I changed my choice of material from clay to rammed earth after much research and feedback from my tutor. utilising the strength that rammed earth allows, I pushed the design underground and created a quiet gallery space that focused on the environmental control that rammed earth allows.
Emily Grace Rowlings 