Architecture, Building and Planning - Theses
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ItemThe architectural profession in Melbourne 1835 to 1860( 1965)As the traveller of 1835 rounded the last bend in the Yarra to glimpse the little settlement at Melbourne, his thoughts could hardly have turned to the cities of his homeland. Yet within twenty five years, its original thirteen buildings were to be obliterated in a building expansion unprecedented in Colonial history. Within this period, over one hundred architects came to Melbourne, some to stay, others to remain only briefly. The lure of gold enticed some, others, despairing of success in the overcrowded English profession, came as squatters, as architects, as speculators, some were tradesmen, engineers, surveyors. From this diverse assemblage came the designs for the more important buildings of the city. (From introduction)
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ItemAlistair Knox : an integrated approach to landscape + architecture( 2005-11)This project examines the contribution of Alistair Knox (1912-1986) to the development of an integrated approach to built form in the Australian landscape. Knox is renowned for his environmental building work in the Eltham area of Victoria during the second half of the twentieth century. This work responded to a unique set of circumstances involving postwar shortages of building materials, the prior history of earth building in the region, the existence and tradition of artistic communities challenging conventional practices, and the search for an appropriate landscape and architectural response to Australian conditions. Knox contributed articles to newspapers and magazines, gave numerous speeches and wrote three books, which describe his environmental building philosophy and the Eltham community. The organic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Burley Griffin are considered as possible influences on the development of Knox’s integrated architecture and landscape approach, along with the landscape qualities of Eltham, and the unique artistic community living there. The work of Knox is also considered against the Australian post World War 2 climate of change, characterised by a growing appreciation of Australian plants and concern for the environment. This research comprised a content analysis of the three books written by Knox to distinguish his influences, values and philosophies. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to Knox’s impact on the development of an Australian landscape design ethos.
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ItemA consideration of vegetation, landscaping and microclimatic conditions for building comfort( 1963)SCOPE OF THESIS: - An attempt to analyse natural elements of hot arid landscape, and further assess ways and means by which these elements could be utilised in order to modify micro-climatic conditions within buildings. - A brief analysis of landforms on the effect of reflected radiation on structures, and a discussion on the effect of waterbodies in the environment of structures, is followed by a more exhaustive treatment of the subject of vegetation and its impact on physical comfort. - A detailed study of courtspaces in physical planning and housing layouts. - A practical design application of conclusions. INTRODUCTION: - The Twentieth Century has witnessed an unprecedented .advancement in the fields of science and technology, yet there is little evidence of their application to provide better living conditions for a large number of people who reside in predominantly hot and arid regions of the world. Because of lack of water supply, and what could be termed hostile climate, the arid areas present problems which are far too extreme in their scope and dimension. - Only after the second world war such world organisations as U.N.E.S.C.O., W.H.O. and F.A.0., began to pay some attention to the particularly complex problems of arid zones. - Next to food and clothing, shelter presents perhaps the most important challenge. Like many other underdeveloped regions there is a tremendous shortage of housing and other building types in arid areas. Available meagre finances point to the need for inexpensive solutions. In terms of structures it means provision of comfortable living conditions without resorting to either costly insulation or complicated construction techniques. Attention should be focussed on the possibi11ties of modification of natural climatic elements in order to achieve agreeable thermal comfort. - Some of the elements, particularly those of vegetation, landforms and waterbodies, and the ways in which they could be employed to alter the severity of arid environment, form the basis of this thesis.
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ItemAn eclectic approach: rational eclecticism( 1997)This thesis was written for the Master of Architecture (By Design) course at the University of Melbourne. The course consisted of a Major and Minor Portfolio. The Minor Portfolio was done on the assumption that a collective architectural project existed. After completing the Minor Portfolio it became clear that such a collective project did not exist. An examination of the Minor Portfolio showed that the designs were eclectic and followed a particular pattern which could be called rational. Therefore rational eclecticism became the topic of investigation of this thesis. The result of this study is a statement of a rational eclectic architectural position in the Major Portfolio design projects and in the conclusions drawn in this written dissertation. The designs for the Master of Architecture (By Design) Major Portfolio (International Visitors' Centre and the Cardigan Street Housing) were produced by selecting ideas and forms as models for each design. In this design process, eclecticism was identified as the means by which forms or ideas are selected, and rationalism was identified as the development of an independent approach to design. The design process was organised as a syncretic project in which ideas and forms are associated by similarities rather than formed into a logically consistent system. An examination of recent examples of eclectic architecture showed that the value of eclecticism is in the insight that it offers to particular architectural questions, rather than in the development of a system of ideas or forms. These ideas were developed in the Major Portfolio designs. In the International Visitors' Centre design (Major Portfolio project 1), form was either the result, and representation of, an abstract idea distilled from an eclectic range of sources. In contrast, the Cardigan Street Housing (Major Portfolio project 2) design solution was free in its direct and literal use of forms based on an eclectic selection of architectural precedents. The rationality of the projects was a result of the way the precedents for the designs were abstracted to separate them from the authority of the systems they derived from. The conclusion of this thesis is that rational eclecticism is a design process suited to times when clear directions are not apparent. The opportunity for an eclectic designer in such times is to find the advantages of this lack of commonly accepted ideas. When an eclectic approach does take these opportunities it is an accepted and natural, though not encouraged or prominent, part of a pluralist architectural culture. Therefore, to have an eclectic position, it could be argued, is to hold a transitional position. However, a rational eclectic position that favours research so that the transition between positions results in a familiarity with, and ability to analyse, a wide range of other positions. It is this familiarity that is the strength of eclecticism since architectural pluralism is accepted as a success, rather than the cause of crisis.
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ItemBeyond Mac world and 'umbrella' architecture: an alternative design framework for urban public buildings in Sri Lanka( 2009)The obsession to become modern while maintaining a link to a glorified history is a prevalent practice in most postcolonial nations. Combined with layers of developmental politics, geo-political agendas, ethnic insecurities and globalization, there emerges an increasingly complex picture which is generally absent from developed post-industrial nations. Post-independent Sri Lanka is not immune to this canvas of complexity. As a result, professional input into non-residential building production has been caught up in the ostensibly irreconcilable position of, "how to revive an old, dormant civilization and take part in universal civilization." With the patronage of political and cultural elites of post-independent Sri Lanka, the production process of social space has created a paradoxical architectural paradigm of modernity and tradition. The enthusiasm of transnational tourism for commodified local culture has further crystallized this predicament. The resultant physical landscape has thus created a specific reference system through which architecture is understood, taught, perceived and appreciated. Symbolic and representative politics have marginalized the functional and social inclusiveness of the civic built fabric. Set against this background, this thesis intends to firstly, examine the historical background involved in constructing this dichotomous paradigm and the social costs involved. Secondly, the thesis aims to examine alternative mechanisms by which to expand the existing architectural debate, enabling the production of a more socially inclusive, context-generated civic architecture.