Shawna Ng, Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

It seems almost ironic to say this, but what made this semester truly enriching and fulfilling was the process of trying to understand and appreciate this quote by one of my tutors this semester. “Landscape is essentially space, and space is nothing. So as landscape architects, we design nothing.”

Indeed, in the process of designing nothing, the realisation that nothing is essentially everything started to dawn upon me. Not only did this knowledge empower me to consider the design of my designated site, Shrimptons’ Creek Parklands, in a more holistic manner, it also implied that every single experience of life in and out of the classroom was highly valuable in informing my design. This certainly helped me to appreciate all of life’s joys and drudgeries.

Working at Gardens-R-Us (as part of my work experience) is certainly a case of point.  The first few days of work were so physically demanding that the minute I got home, I crashed into bed. It was, after all, a very labour intensive job, which required the rearranging pots of plants, raking, heavy lifting work when deliveries arrived (which happened too often in my opinion!), weeding, price labeling and so on. In light of this, there were times I dreaded going to work. Just when I thought that I had nothing to gain from this experience but a weekly workout, I started to realise that I had subconsciously become more knowledgeable in plants. I remember that sense of satisfaction that filled my heart when I could identify one of the plants being discussed in studio; a great improvement indeed, considering how the only plants I ever knew were those that were found in my dinners! In hindsight, I do realise the significance of being aware of plants and how to manage and handle them even though having direct contact with them was never really part of the job scope for landscape architects. This knowledge is pivotal in making my designs more workable and successful in reality– A worthwhile experience indeed.

Time does not permit me to dwell too much on the wealth of information I have also gleaned from other lessons in history, computing and life in general but I can assure you that with this new found awareness about the work content of landscape architects, even the mundane act of eating can act as a source of design inspiration. Before I bore any of you further with more words, here are my final presentation boards presenting my proposed solutions for Shrimptons Creek Parklands, a leftover space.

I look forward to another year of challenges, for, despite having a knack of making me exhausted, they certainly spur me on in my pursuit of being a landscape architect who is truly aware and capable of designing something as abstract as nothing-ness.

 

 

 

Point and Line to Plane – Bachelor of Interior Architecture Exhibition 2009

Exhibition: Memorial, Dr. Tom Loveday

“ ‘MEMORIAL’ is a series of paintings based on the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin (Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas). Looking upwards in the centre of the Memorial is a deeply disturbing experience for a number of reasons including of course its purpose, but also and perhaps more ambiguously, its politics. The Designer of the Memorial, Peter Eisenman, has used a particular aesthetic approach that demands silence but which also alienates, especially when surrounded by the 3 three metre high concrete blocks, each of which is somewhat reminiscent of a grave. Looking up in the centre of the memorial, the sky is framed by these blocks in such a way that a cross rather inappropriately appears overhead.

This powerful image calls out for meaning, as they always do. Is it Christian, is it an allusion to the many paintings of crosses such as Kasimir Malevich’s ‘Black Cross’ or is it an expression of the philosophy Martin Heidegger, ‘The Fourfold.’ None seem appropriate for such a memorial and so this contradictory effect, so inevitably incorporated into The Holocaust Memorial is just asking for it, painting-wise.

The paintings are a combination of old school ‘Hard-edge’ abstraction reminiscent of the well-known early 20th century modernist traditions as well as of the 1960s painters of the “The Field” exhibition and a new colour approach of my own. The works are intended to combine intensely coloured accessible abstract painting.

Naturally, the paintings can be regarded for their aesthetic qualities alone, as I expect they will be, but by combining them with such an important concept I hope that aesthetic appreciation will extend to conceptual thinking and perhaps bring important international issues to where they belong: into each of our individual consciousness.”

TOM LOVEDAY, October 2009

View upwards near the center of the Holocaust Memorial, Berlin

'Brown Memorial,' 214 cm x 183 cm Acrylic on camvas

Laura Goh, Bachelor of Planning

Hi Everyone,

HURRAH! WE DID IT!  I am pleased to report that uni is over for the Fifth Year Planners, who handed in their final theses on October 23. That same night we had our annual Planning Ball, which this year was held at the Mint. It was a fantastic night and I loved catching up with the Planners from all five years. Everyone looked very glamorous but most of the Fifth Years were looking a bit worse for wear due to a few days of severe sleep deprivation! The last few weeks of this semester were pretty hectic getting everything finished but everyone survived and we partied hard that night!

So what is everyone up to post thesis? Well, apart from catching up on sleep and welcoming the return of our social lives, most of us are just pondering what we are going to do next!!! Some people have jobs lined up, some of us are applying for new jobs, some are contemplating living overseas, a few very dedicated planners are going to begin Masters Courses next semester and we even have a few planners who are planning their upcoming weddings! I have been working as a Student Planner for the last two years but have stated applying for graduate positions now that uni is over! Fingers crossed for an awesome job!

Thank you to everyone who has been following our blogs throughout the year! I would like to invite all of you to Planning’s end of year exhibition ‘Urban Futures’, which will be on 17 November in the Red Centre Gallery at UNSW. Please come along and check out some of the amazing work that UNSW Planning students have been producing this year and most excitingly there will be a display of all the Fifth Year’s thesis abstracts and iconic images! Hurrah!

Daniel Sutherland, Bachelor of Industrial Design

Hey All…

So last post of the year.. Well i’m not graduating this year as I might have mentioned earlier, so at least not the last post ever .

I’ve been in and around the workshop a bit over the last few weeks and have seen all my fellow 4th years working hard on finalising their models and overall designs – this has made me wish I was doing the same! As much as Uni is great, it would be nice to be done with for the sake of a little bit more freedom. The part time work I mentioned in my last post is the cause for my added year next year.  A decent price to pay I think.

Looking ahead to the holidays – I have two busy weeks coming up working in the laser and printing room down in the Squarehouse to help out with the flood of Architecture projects coming in.

**Note to anybody submitting anything for cutting or printing – Ever**: PLEASE submit your drawings exactly to the specs outlined on the faculty website and include a .jpg and text file to help explain what your doing + draw with CONNECTING TABS wherever possible. If you can do this then you will get your work back faster, of a better quality AND cheaper. The Design Lab @ the Squarehouse workshop is probably the best place to get FDM “3D printing” and laser cutting done anywhere – in terms of customer service and price anyway (i’ve had both done outside of Uni and its basically a case of what you submit is what you get – very little effort is put into understanding your needs, yet you pay a premium and there is generally a minimum cost). To ensure it stays this way at UNSW, you NEED to be following the tips mentioned above – we have a sweet deal going at the moment so lets not spoil it.

O.K so beyond that.. A huge number of days off Uni.. can you believe we’re really only at here for about HALF of the year!? I think it’s important to work on something related to your degree over this break so i’ll be working on jewellery and my thesis. Try to get some of those little projects done during this time that you’ve always wanted to do, as Summer Uni holidays are the last times we will have such an amount of free time (until you retire most likely hah!). If your finding your degree a drag, then you might be surprised that you actually enjoy it when working in that area in your own time and outside of a class / brief.

Good luck to those graduating this year – Industrial Design Students in particular! Best of luck with your chosen careers and make the most of the break. I hope to bump into some of you in the professional world in the future so as I can hit you up for favors (you’re welcome to do the same so don’t be strangers ).

For all other Industrial Designers – get along to the 4th year project presentations coming up soon for an insight into how to do well in your major project – ask Miles P or Andrew F for exact dates and times. Enjoy the Summer Everybody.

John Ha, Bachelor of Construction Management & Property

OMG! It’s already over?
I feel old! Well, maybe not THAT old…I am only 21 in December!

But really, semester 2 went so fast!
Risk and Ethics went really better than I expected! The teams worked together and we pulled through!

Construction Techniques was a walk in the park, and I have learned about many more interesting and challenging construction methods that are available to us in the industry!
By staying focused and working week-by-wee, I was able to keep up and complete my assessments and work.  It definitely helped in the long run! I didn’t have to do late nighters every night the week before assessments were due!

Project X3 is in its final stages… with nearly 88% of the timber components complete, and nearly half of all required metal work done, we are on schedule to complete the Art Studio out near Broken Hill!
As for me, I am travelling to quite a few places during the break: to Fowler’s Gap, near Broken Hill to help supervise the Construction of Project X3; travelling to Cairns for a quick summer break; and back to Sydney to help in my part-time job supervising campers from South Korea!

In the mean time, I have to complete some general education courses over the summer so that I don’t prolong my degree more than the necessary 4 years… so wish me luck!

BCMP is so much fun, and I suggest that you spread the word about our course.

Anyways…got to work now!

Mark Roach, Master of Architecture

Hi Everyone!

My second semester is coming to an end with the final touches being made on my Graduation Project. The images I have included are some drawings explaining some recent changes that I have made to my design and a massing model exploring the form of my building in chocolate.

White Chocolate Massing Model of Customs House Theatre

Just to recap, my project brief required the design of a drama theatre for Customs House that involved observing the immediate site of Customs House through the act of drawing it. This site analysis has been largely informed by the unique acoustic qualities of the site, not to mention the distinct light and movement patterns that characterize Customs House and Circular Quay at large.

North -South Section through Circular Quay and Customs House

The use of sculpture has been an exciting way of abstracting the Customs House site and developing my design scheme that focuses on creating a counterpoint between the new and the old through its geometrical composition. The intention is for the existing East and West wings to be preserved and celebrated by my intervention into the site. The use of white off-form concrete will help add a textural layer to this theatre as well as allowing light to radiate through the myriad of niches that
exist within the existing building.

Ground Floor Plan of Customs House and its Environs as well as a diagram explaining geometrical rationale for the theatre

This project has been very rewarding throughout the year and has taught me much about the variety of approaches one can take in realising a design idea, such as the use of unconventional model making materials (i.e. chocolate). It has also reinforced my general understanding of what architecture is all about. And its about more than just drawing and as much about understanding people and how they behave in the environment and what makes them feel good and enjoy being in different spaces.

By the end of the year I hope to be working in a small to medium size architecture firm so I can get a good overview and introduction to the profession.

Sascha Dal Santo, Bachelor of Industrial Design

Hi again everyone!

Second semester was really great – I really enjoyed all of the projects we undertook in our main studio class.

As I stated in my last blog post, we all took part in the Cormack Packaging Innovation Awards, which was a really good opportunity for us all as students to not only enter a competition, but to get our work out and shown to industry members and professionals.

I looked at redesigning the packaging for birdseed, which focused primarily on an single injection-moulded closure that allows for double quantity dispensing of the birdseed product.

A few other students in my class were also nominated for the awards, which was very exciting!

Submission for the Cormack Packaging Innovation Awards

The second project that we undertook was a collaboration project based on the proposed Sydney Metro project, in which we focused on the seating for both the train stations and also the platforms.

Final Design Proposal for Sydney Metro Project

I primarily focused on seating for the concourse/mezzanine levels of the stations, as well as the outdoor ‘station square’ areas.  My final design was based on the concept of social interaction seating, aiming to enhance the notion of the metro stations as being a meeting place for people/commuters/visitors.

Final Design Proposal for Sydney Metro Project

I’ve also been undertaking a research project with lecturer Russell Rodrigo, which has been based on the topic area of ‘Design Through Research’. I’ve found this to be a really interesting topic area, as it relates very much to the Industrial Design degree, where research is a very important issue and stage to be undertaken within the development of any product.

I was also awarded the 2009 Australian Institute of Packaging Scholarship for the Certificate of Packaging, which is really exciting!

So overall, this session has been really full on, but at the same time I’ve really enjoyed all of my subjects!

Can only hope that despite the assumed work load and pressure that 4th year brings, that it will be just as good!

berth – Bachelor of Landscape Arch grad exhibition

The 2009 Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Graduation Exhibition — Berth — is shaping up to be a great event.

Congratulations to the student committee for organising the event – particularly students Ben Moorcroft and Jason Pakenham who have done an incredible amount of work, on top of their studies, to coordinate it and raise funds through sponsorship.

As a result, we’ve got a strong line-up of industry leaders who have supported the exhibition and will be there to view this showcase of student work. Check out our list of sponsors and alumni donors and thank them if you meet them!

Berth is all about Sydney’s inner west waterfront. Imagine what the vision could be for 80 hectares of Sydney’s waterfront as designed by the landscape architects of the future.

The Bays Precinct includes White Bay, Glebe Island and White Bay Power Station and is one of the last remaining working harbour sites in Sydney. It is what the 4th year landscape architects have been focusing on for their final project.

Berth provided students the opportunity to explore a diverse range of innovative solutions for a mix of residential, commercial, working harbour and parkland development for the site.

The Berth exhibition opens on:

Friday 6 November 5.00pm

Red Centre Gallery Ground Floor of Red Centre West Wing

UNSW Built Environment.

The official opening with presentations by students will be at 6.00pm-7.00pm. Berth also incorporates the ‘End of Year Review Night’ — a display of student work from all years of the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Program.

It really is an exciting opportunity to look at the work of the next generation of professionals who will design our neighbourhoods, towns and cities.

UNSW Built Environment is grateful for the support of Gold Sponsor JMD design and Silver Sponsor Australian Institute of Landscape Architects NSW Group. Bronze sponsors are Andreasens Green, Aspect Studios, Eckersley’s, Oculus, Outdoor Design Source, Taylor Brammer and Terras. Minor sponsors are Peter Glass & Associates, Phillips Marler, POD Landscape Architecture, Sue Barnsley Design and Surf Stitch.

Thanks also to our alumni donors: Ms Terry Boyle, Ms Georgianna Kimlin, Mr Andrew Leuchars and Mrs Anna-Jane Peterson.

Holly Baigent, Bachelor of Industrial Design

This semester has really taught me how important it is to balance your time productively between process, production and most importantly the presentation of design. We are currently learning the software programs Rhino and Photoshop to explore the visual language of our products. It is time consuming and fiddly with so many different tools, however the final result is often mind blowing, rewarding, slick and exciting. This fast paced design rendering is a steep learning curve but has taught me a lot about how to apply different finishes i.e. metal chrome or a matt finish and make a 2D sketch ‘come to life’ in my designs.

Photoshop Rendered Camera

As a result, expectations have increased. For our last studio project brief we had to design a product for 5 years into the future for a particular clientele. This involved concept development, a design process of scenario planning, market research and researching new and current trends to realise ideas. Initiated by my interest in wearable electronics I designed a flexible display screen as well as a blackberry/Ipod rechargeable docking server that seamlessly attaches to a larger handbag as part of the overall bag design. Detachable; the client could take the bag to meetings or use on the plane. At the end of the day the client had the option to leave this flap behind and carry the handbag onto evening activates after work. From this project I also learnt that designing objects and working with textiles can be quite difficult….

Photoshop Rendered Hairdryer

At the moment we are designing a product that will enrich the dining/eating experience and ritual of a chosen culture. I’m in the development process of designing a product for the great Aussie BBQ; specifically honing in on the B.Y.O side of the ritual for al fresco dinning. In our Useability design research project we designed an interface self-service outlet focusing on the following key elements:

• Spatial such as sight lines and human reach and seating comfort.
• Visual communication such as text, graphics, and audio to communicate information to the user

The project involved a design methodology and research approach, with comparative usability testing of interface designs with different users to understand their haptic senses and the way their eyes move across the screen. Pleasure-ability as well as functionality was fundamental in my “personalise your fragrance’ outlet to be located in beauty shops.

Text analysis diagram for 'Personalise your Fragrance' Outlet for beauty stores