Assignment 1 - Project Matrix

Architectural precedent - Rail Operation Centre (ROC)

Architect: Jacobs & Smart Design Studio

Location: Alexandra NSW, Australia

Area: 12000.0 m2

Completion Year: 2019

• Model 1 - 1:1000 Context Model

1. Key Concept

This model at 1:1000 is going to explore its urban design decision and its functionality in this sociality. The Rail Operation centre is a piece of architecture with a great connection to the new city centre of Green Square. The key concept sought to distinguish itself from the neighbouring apartment and commercial buildings by expressing its function as a piece of railway infrastructure. This led to the two principal facades with long brick arches, spanning forty and forty-five metres. These work as substantial beams to support the heavy brick walls above and allow openings at the base.


2. Design Element
The Idea of the arch brick facade is an interpretation of Sydney Trains' Logo. This was shown in the progressing drawing by Smart Design Studio. Two long brick arches on two facades are emphasising Sydney's Trains Logo. The use of red brick not only responses to the surrounding contexts, but also refers to the colour of the Logo.  


As this building is a piece of infrastructure architecture, the elevation of the brick facade shows the monumentality of the building which separates itself with the urban contexts. 

3. How is the Key Concept Reflected in the Design Studio?

This model from 1:1000 is able to reflect how some of the urban design decision is made in the context, such as material choice, elevation design, etc. With an urban project, this precedent is able to help me through the future design, such as making a good site model, urban design strategies, etc. 

To be concise, The used of transport logo and branding of NSW transportation and re-interpreted into the building language is quite inspiring for Design Studio. Also, the engineering of the big brick arch serves not only for an urban context linkage but also allows an expansive control room to settle inside the building. 




4. Geometrical Description of the Shape.

(ROC - Site plan)

Rail operation centre is located at the conjunction of Wyndham street and Mandible 
street. The building has a footprint of 12000m2. As the shape is generally large for this context, the brick arches and spanning forty and forty-five metres concrete beams does emphasise its publicity and monumentality. 

The surrounding building has Alexandria fire station, future car park, residential block and warehouse block.

5. Model Making Objectives

1. Proposed Scale: 1:1000

2. Material & Technique:
Plywood(Base-Laser cut)
Wood Veneer(Road, Surrounding - Laser cut)
Building base(Laser Cut)
Hardwood to represent surrounding buildings(Wood workshop)

3. Time Commitment (4 Days):
Rhino File preparing for Laser cut - 1 Day
Base (Laser cutting & Material handling) - 1 Day
Building Massing (Laser cut) - 1 Day
Surrounding building (Woodworking) - 1 Day

4. Budget (Material & Machinery)
Plywood - $16.00

Wood Veneer - $10.00

Laser cutting - $36.00
Laser cutting Materials Price: $30.00

Hardwood (Bunnings) - $20.00
Uhu glue: $ 6.00

Total: $118.00

• Model 2 - 1:200 Building Model

(ROC - Axonometric)

1. Key Concept

This model at 1:200 is going to explore more in detail, in order to understand its spatial function and the idea of its structure. ROC is using both thick-hollow structures from Louis Kahn and Dom-ino structure from Le Corbusier. The ideas of the thick-hollow structure are expressed on the brick arch facade and the expansive beam and supports. This gives the building a sense of monumentality. As the exploded axonometric shows, the idea of the thick-hollow structure also frees up space in the central control room for the Sydney Trains. The Dom-ino structure works interiorly for the defining space and functions. 

2. Design Element

(ROC - Elevation)

(ROC - Section)

3. How is the Key Concept Reflected in the Design Studio?

This model is a strong precedent for me to demonstrate my understanding of structures and spatial functions. In the design studio, this is important to understand the concept of the building and also its interior functions. In addition, this model will also help me understand where and why they use structural principles, such and thick-hollow for monumentality and column-free control room and Dom-ino structure for service room functions and basic supports. 

(ROC - Spatial arrangement)

4. Geometrical Description of the Shape.

The main focus of this building geometric is its shell. As I have modelled the concrete structure for the base, the height of the column is at 6 metres and the connection of the beam and column has an angle of 110 degrees, and the overall span of the beam is 40 and 45 metres. This is clear that the structure of the concrete beam and column is resolving structural force from the brick arches. The Brickwork has its recess line due to construction methods and also arches across 40 and 45 metres. Top of the arch reaches 14 metres off the ground as measured from 3D-model. Roof structure also has an angle of 30 degrees, which allows sun penetration. 

(3D Model - Concrete Beam)

(ROC - Exterior Shots)

5. Model Making Objectives
1. Proposed Scale: 1:200

2. Material & Technique:
Laser cut for Brick facade and Hot-banding techniques for curve brickwork.
Hardwood to represent structural columns (Wood workshop)
Balsa to present interior spaces and flooring and window mullions.

3. Time Commitment (7 Days):
Rhino File preparing for Laser cut - 1 Day
Laser cut for facade and hot-banding materials - 1 Day
Hardwood for structural columns - 2 Days 
Balsa Model making for general interior spaces - 3 Days

4. Budget (Material & Machinery)
Balsa - $ 0.00

Laser cutting - $36.00
Laser cutting Materials Price: $30.00

Hardwood (Bunnings) - $20.00
Uhu glue: $ 6.00

Total: $92.00

• Model 3 - 1:50 Structural Column

(ROC - Column & Beam)

1. Key Concept

This model at 1:50 is going to explore more in detail, in order to understand its structure and material. As part of the construction process, the concept of the structure is to moderate the building's mass and to create connections with the surrounds streets and pedestrians. The way of those columns not only act structural supports but also create spaces that lead people's attention towards the brick facade. This creates relations between the public and building, which enhances the intimacy of the interaction. These massive columns work as a substantial structure supporting the heavy brick wall above and allowing glazed openings at the base.

2. Design Element (Approximately 250 words).

The building is clad and concrete in locally made red brick that’s redolent of the dominant colour of local warehouses, Sydney’s historical buildings, and Australia’s red earth. The commonplace nature of brickwork and its familiar texture have been used as a counterpoint to the extraordinary scale of the architectural gestures that will define this building’s identity.

3. How is the Key Concept Reflected in the Design Studio?

With this 1:50 model, construction detail will be considered more into detail. This could help me demonstrating structural analysis and other geometric relationship in detail. In the design studio, this is important to capture the materiality, textures and its architectural function as well, such as red brick has a strong relationship between Australia's red earth and historical buildings, and concrete has a connection between the industrial warehouse and present, etc.

4. Geometrical Description of the Shape.

The main focus of this structure is its column. As I have modelled the concrete structure for the base, the column has the size of 1 metre by 2.5 metres and the connection of the beam and column has an angle of 110 degrees. The beam is a massive size of 1.5 metres by 1.5 metres, in order to span across 40 and 45 metres. As the model shows, there is one column has a hexagon shape which is designed to emphasise the entrance. Column dimension is also shown in the plan below. All dimensions are taken on site for model making.

(Column dimension - Plan)

5. Model Making Objectives
1. Proposed Scale: 1:50

2. Material & Technique:
Casting and form working using plywood
Casting with the cement mixture

3. Time Commitment (3 Days):
Wood working for formwork - 1 Day
Cement mixture preparing and casting - 1 Day
Polishing - 1 Day

4. Budget (Material & Machinery)

Plywood (Bunnings) - $40.00

Cement - $20.00

Total: $60.00

Image Reference: http://smartdesignstudio.com/architecture/commercial/roc/
Materail Price List: https://www.making.unsw.edu.au/dfl/shop/
Model Inspiration: http://www.makemodels.com.au/architecture-models-sydney