-Elevated Architecture Resonates Through Holistic Environmental Design (EARTHED) PART 3 Reset

1.3- Holistic environmental design.

This Includes ethereal aspects of urban design with aspirations such as fun filled, colour and public art as a counterpoint to ‘status anxiety’, social distancing etc.

Introduction.

Following on from PART 2 -Social economic sustainability and  PART1- Green circular economy, we have reached the ‘pointy end’ of the design journey where architects and clients can approach the destination, reaping  the rewards of the journey time and  reviewing  all the preceding sign posts along the way, which can now be resolved through Holistic environmental design. Holistic environmental design has at its fulcrum, the idea of ‘elevating’ humble building  materials to a ‘higher cause’ and balancing  transforming’ and ‘informing’ aspects.

PART 3 Reset

1.3- Holistic environmental design.

This Includes ethereal aspects of urban design with aspirations such as fun filled, colour and public art as a counterpoint to ‘status anxiety’, social distancing etc.

Introduction.

Following on from PART 2 -Social economic sustainability and  PART1- Green circular economy, we have reached the ‘pointy end’ of the design journey where architects and clients can approach the destination, reaping  the rewards of the journey time and  reviewing  all the preceding sign posts along the way, which can now be resolved through Holistic environmental design. Holistic environmental design has at its fulcrum, the idea of ‘elevating’ humble building  materials to a ‘higher cause’ and balancing  transforming’ and ‘informing’ aspects.

‘Elevating’ the physical building materials and design will be the fulcrum, which balances the ‘Transforming’ and ‘Informing’ actions in the creation of place. Also the ‘materiality’ selected   can showcase and enhance the environmental benefits. ‘Transport’ use can also be explored with the use of hydrogen or electric cars/ buses as part of OPEX operational cost for a common car and or fleet for larger projects (as opposed to capital  works CAPEX expenditure)

‘Transforming’ all the elements of architecture will be informed by design principles  such as  ‘space/time’, the backbone of an architect’s design training, and include the formal 3D components of positive /negative spaces, hidden/ revealed, frame views so that you don’t reveal ‘all at once’ but encourage the user to explore the space with the 4^th dimension  of time. Also environmental colour and light will help in ‘elevating’ the architecture to a transformative experience.

‘Informing’ the user will be the direct sensory outcome of the ‘Comfort’ provisions and ‘Governance’ of building regulations, which can be challenged/resolved e.g. the 2019 sustainable NCC ‘Section J, and the ‘deemed to comply provisions’ (DTC). Also ‘Inclusiveness’ (Universal Design), accessibility and Crime prevention, through urban design (CPTED) and local ‘in house’ communication intranet services will be ubiquitous.

Section View ‘Centralia’ Stadium -Origen Architects 2020

Two of the most rewarding elements in ‘elevating’ the experience of architecture are ‘Colour/light’ and ‘Public art:-

1.0 Colour –easily the most transformative element

Colour has a powerful effect on behaviour. How so? Researchers, such as Alexander Schauss of the American Institute of Biosocial Research, have found that the electromagnetic energy of colour interacts in some still unknown way with the pituitary, and pineal glands and the hypothalamus, deep in the brain. These organs regulate the endocrine system, which controls many basic body functions and emotional behavioural response, such as aggression. Colour design can influence behaviour; for example, the red and yellow combo used by many fast food franchises is designed to influence customer appetite and table turnover. Eat heaps (red) and get out quick (yellow).There are reports in the literature of race horses returning from the race track, one placed in a red stable while the other was placed in a blue stable, which returned more quickly to stable physiology.  Prisoners dressed in pink or placed in cells painted pink are less aggressive.

On the other hand our Origen Architect’s experience has been to repaint a brain injury clinic, (previously painted in calming ‘hospital green’), with stimulating yellow underlined with a discord of light lilac, which excited both colours together.  This stimulated the brain activity of the brain injury victims.  It seems colour designers can design for behaviour and most often, try to create wellbeing. Advertisers understand the subtle use of colour and rely on the Wagner (colour) Classification system to determine colour ‘classifiers’ and the socio-economic target. For example hot pink is not the ‘classifying’ colour finish for a Rolls Royce or a Jaguar motor car, which is more often, coloured Royal blue, British racing green or Silver. In an attempt ‘to sell’ the carbon tax offset family payment in Australia, the advertisers and designers chose the dowdy coloured crowded kitchen of suburban people, who would have been most affected by the expected carbon price hikes.  Like all things colour can be used for ‘good’ or ‘bad’!

Architects by and large have been scared away from using colour and the international preference, which is still prevailing today, seems to be achromatic for everything; no colour!  One influence is the anti-decoration stance promoted by the International movement, which continues to be purveyed through architecture schools the world over.  You can have any colour as long it is white and perhaps some black! The other influence is ‘the ghost’ of the classic Greek and Roman building and sculpture, which is represented as natural marble. However it has been recently rediscovered that the Greek temples and the decorative parts, such as the Elgin marbles, borrowed (stolen?) from the Parthenon, were in fact ‘gaudily’ coloured; declassified to say the least!  So how can we ’un-frighten’ the architects and designers in their use of colour?

The environmental colour approach is one way forward, which is practiced by the French colourists, Jean Paul Lenclos, et al.  The process consists of an investigative phase, trialling colorways, and reviewing over several seasons and adjusting and evaluating. The down side is that this takes time (element). The positive side is that the process leads to an informed colour choice and regional specific colour schemes, which relate to latitude, altitude and seasonal changes. The process, in detail, involves a site review of the natural heritage (element) and the cultural heritage (element) aspects.  Natural heritage includes soil colours vegetation, trunk, leaf and flower colours. The cultural heritage involves taking paint scrapings to discover the underlying colours and pigments of historic paints and coatings. There is a matching phase, and trial of colour ways to achieve a colour balance, by painting up trial panels, placing on site and reviewing over several seasons and final adjustments made.

Colour intention

Colour converses. The placing of one colour against another will cause a vibration or a ‘conversation’ with each other, an interaction, which is called simultaneous contrast.  The post-impressionist artists, such as Pierre Bonnard exploited this to much effect, whereby many colours are created on a canvas with a limited palette, by use of additive mixing i.e. visual mixing rather than actual pigment, or subtractive, mixing.  It seems that our eyes ‘wish’ to rebalance colours in favour of colour harmony. This effect can be exploited or diminished according to the designer’s intention.

The natural heritage

Cultural heritage art

The proposed ‘Centralia’ Project, is located in the Alice Springs region, amidst an amazing display of natural colour, in soils, plants, rocks and sky and the project provides the opportunity for the architecture, to elevate colour to achieve a harmony, possibly in three main ways:-

1.0 ‘Contrast’ -Contrast is derived from using contrasting colours, which are opposing on a 12 colour wheel chart. Two opposite colours are chosen but to soften the interference at the edges a third colour can be used, which is a blend of mixing the two contrasting colours together or a third trim colour. Another way is to use subdued colours, which are derived from the blending of contrasting colours into each other. Often this contrast can be further subdued by bringing the colours closer to the same tone by using white (tints) or black (tones) of the colour and or mixing the colours into each other.

2.0 ‘Harmony’ using colours closer to each other on the colour wheel gives an immediate analogous harmony   However this can be under whelming unless a third colour is thrown in to ‘excite’ the mix such as a  secondary or complementary trim colour used at the edges for example externally on houses for the gutters and fascia’s.

3.0 ‘Discord colours’ can vibrate and interfere with each other by dislocating the colours from their natural tonal hierarchy of colours. By subtly changing the tonal value of one discord you can ‘excite’ the combined effect. For example a very light blue against an intense orange will derive a discordant outcome as the blue is normally lower down in tonal scale from orange.

Of course colour cannot be conceived in isolation unless it is artificially emitted and or scenic projected.  Colour is the result of reflected light i.e. the visible colour band width that is not absorbed by the finish material. In many respects ‘red’ objects are really ‘not green’ as the green is absorbed and vice a versa a ‘green’ object reflects a ‘not red’ colour (as red is absorbed). The Mexican architect Louis Barragan was a master at exploiting the characteristics of both colour and reflected light and water.

2.0 Public Art-as a Curatorial approach

Generally most cities have a public art procurement policy associated with urban renewal and new CBD building projects. There are local processes in place for the procurement process of public art projects, which are tied to a certain value of the building works. The process essentially follows certain steps;  such as the developer’s quantity surveyor confirms a likely build cost, the developer usually appoints a public art consultant who organises a limited competition concept development with three artists from which one is selected to proceed to design development and a commission contract for the full fabrication and installation service. Approbation can be a simple plaque or with mobile phone Apps that could include the ‘Centralia’ project’s public art as part of an art/cultural ‘guided’ tour of the Alice Springs region. The public art program will further an understanding of the historic indigenous artist endeavours of the past/present /future indigenous art. For example, the past Hermannsburg mission painters and potters, plus the present ‘dot paintings’ of aboriginal modern art and future art will all be part of the curatorial approach. In simple terms the applied public art, colour, pattern and design could be applied to the horizontal paving and vertical surfaces such as frit glass as well standalone sculptural pieces.

Conclusion

Using this simple three tiered checklist map for any designing journey can lead architects and clients to discoveries along the way, creating synergies (the whole being greater than the parts) and serendipity (an occurrence by chance), which could arise from a relaxed approach to the designing phase. For architects, designing could become an enjoyable experience and lead to more joy filled places and achieve a resonating architecture of the AH HA experience and well-being.

If the ultimate goal of the ‘first run’ of the journey is not achieved or you feel you have not succeeded, then review and begin the journey again………………

By Graham Osborne, Origen Architects

Origen Architects, has over 25 years experience as lead architect on remote and challenging projects such as the Couran Cove Resort, Eco cabins and Wilderness lodge, South Stradbroke Is. and the Sport Super Centre, Runaway Bay, respectively. Currently it is project architect co-ordinating the principal consultant team on ‘Centralia’, Alice Springs Airport site, through the various ‘mile stone’ stages of the ‘Centralia’ Master Development Plan (MDP). This includes including a ‘5 Wave’ surf pool, movie studio and sports development and retail precincts.

Recently Graham has proposed the benefits of integrating off- site and on-site construction procurement methods, principally using the Wikihouse Blackbird 2 system for single/double storey buildings. Graham is an advocate for the social, economic and community benefits in ‘place making’, such as the above ‘Centralia’ project, which will offer remote indigenous communities, the access and training in ‘whole of life’ skills.
As well as being the Right Tracks P/L lead architect, Origen Architects, are also a participating member of the Integrated Design for Sustainable Living (IDSL) international consultancy group, which advocates community based, sensitive remote destination resorts and ‘living villages’.