Reminiscing Time...(would probably need more full stops than that =) Luna Park

Looking back at the very first year I started my Masters degree, which was in mid 2008, I really felt 'refreshed' and 'ready for it' as I'd just returned to uni from an 8 months' work experience.

I picked a studio, which promised fun but with a whole lot of work that came along with it. Well, what could be better than having fun designing if you have to do the work anyways? So yeah, the studio that I picked was called, Luna Park. (didn't the name just capture you? how many chances do you get, as an architect to design a theme park?) If you were a lunatic like me who goes for all the craziest, scariest and tallest rides, you'd be sucked into it, instantly!

Well, getting into the studio's brief, we were actually asked to revamp Luna Park in Melbourne, as they needed to remarket themselves or even to recapture the local's imagery of Luna Park's old self. This was the main brief of the studio and the rest was really up to our own imagination. (which means you can go wild! well, minus building regulations, codes, standards, town planning, heritage overlay, etc etc etc!)

The studio was held in a way that it was not only fun (because they provided us with 2 daily tickets to Luna Park) but it was also very real, in that we were actually let into all of the back of house areas. We actually got to see how the Scenic Rail worked, how the Ghost Ride was set up as well as how they maintain all the rides. It was such an eye-opener!

Well, anyways, we went through a series of esquisse just to get the ball rolling. They ranged from looking at designs of theatrical stages, play with illusion, concept collages etc, and they were all really quite intellectually stimulating.



So, my final concept was really about developing on the idea behind one of the historical rides that had played a major role in the old Luna Park, which was the Jack and Jill ride. Jack and Jill being nursery rhyme was translated literally into a ride. It was a ride where people get onto a bucket and they actually 'went up the hill' (a slope) and they fall from the peak into a puddle of water. (how literal can you get?) Although kind of corny, I actually thought having that as a basis for a ride, is kinda cool!

So, I looked more into nursery rhymes and discovered that they actually have a meaning behind them. So then my concept has developed from the idea that nursery rhymes actually have dual meanings, in that behind the childish nursery rhyme is a reflection of history (mostly dark history). The juxtaposition here is what has interested me.

So, the theme of Luna Park will be based on nursery rhymes. The incorporation of new rides would be interpreted in that way. The concept would also be married with the existing heritage rides as well as the architecture. An example of this concept applied to an existing ride is the use of the nursery rhyme called Ring O' Rosies where one would walk into a dark tunnel with scary sounds and acts reflecting the Great Plague and slowly walking to the light at the end of the tunnel that brings one out to a beautiful English garden with arbours and vines, with a faint sound of the rhyme playing as one approaches the Merry-Go-Round. Then, one will be directed to the entrance of the Merry-Go-Round and can opt to get on the ride with the nursery rhyme playing as the background music. This is the kind of experience and relationship that the concept would like to introduce.

Aside from designing some rides (we were told not to get carried away with it, because well, let's be honest, who wouldn't get carried away designing the sickest roller coaster or the most high tech virtual rides?) Anyways, the other requirement of the studio was also to redesign the castle while maintaining its heritage facade. Again, this idea of referencing the history was very much implemented into designing the castle. I have actually decided to double the castle and have extended the existing facade all the way to the top to maintain the looks of it. (Some would think that this is a cop out but all the comments I got from the tutors and other architects were that it was a fantastic idea. What would be more appropriate in trying to maintain the heritage facade but to copy it??? Does that justify it?) I could go into every detail of my design, which would be an essay worth more than 10,000 words but you should really look at the pictures to try and get a sense of what I was trying to achieve in the design.

So, the semester ended in a really positive note scoring me an awesome grade at the end. I reckon, this has been the most enjoyable and fulfilling studios I've ever done throughout my architecture studies.

I highly recommend taking up a theme park revamp or designing studio (if you EVER get the chance to. who would've thought architecture studios could be more than just plans and sections?)

Thesis Presentation Boards

Here's looking at the presentation boards.

Duckbuild Thesis Studio

This is looking at my thesis studio in more details.

This studio is about creating an environmentally sustainable design, in which it will not only contribute to the ecology but also to the community. The site is at Broadmeadows, a northern suburb in Victoria. Broadmeadows had been identified as one of the Central Activity District (CAD) in Melbourne 2030 and this studio aims to implement a sustainable design in a form of eco-acupuncture. The Victorian Ecological Innovation Laboratory(VEIL) has named this project 'Eco-acupuncture' as the sustainable design will be one element in the whole system to contribute to the better of our ecology. The design is projected as a Vision of Broadmeadows in 2032.

CONCEPT
So, my concept was to look at how we could tackle our ever escalating ecological footprint. The EPA had identified the food industry to be the main contributor to our ecological footprint. Therefore, I have decided to look at providing more efficient and sustainable food production to the Broadmeadows community.

SITE ANALYSIS
As the site is situated far from the port, the seafood or food needs to travel a significant amount of kilometres just to reach the locals or vice versa. This contributes to the high embodied energy in our food production. Broadmeadows had also been identified to have hydrophobic soil rendering it inappropriate for soil farming.

DESIGN idea
...... more explanation through images...

Masters of Architecture (Thesis)

FINALLY! i've reached the very end of my 5 and a half years journey of my architecture academic endeavours. I feel a sense of achievement, satisfaction, relief but also a sense of uncertainty. It would be absurd to think that 5 and a half years of architecture in uni is not draining enough. But the reason why I feel the uncertainty is that uni has been my life for the past years and all I did besides a full-time half year out working is just pretty much studying.(well and some casual and part time job here and there...)

The feeling of, 'where do you go from here?' is what is striking me now, more than ever. I mean, yeah I really need to get a job but like anyone who's been through this would know, getting a job is never easy because you want a job where you'd feel like waking up every morning and be happy to go into. I reckon, most of the employed don't actually feel that they are. So, what are we really battling with? Our 'desire' or our 'need'? It is one thing to need a job for its money but it is something else when you really desire a particular occupation. I mean, an "occupation", if you disect the word, it occupies your time and by saying that, it really takes up, well pretty much more than half your lifetime (minus sleep, makeup, shower, and all that she-bang), you'd have what? like only 2 weekend days and that's not even looking at doing grocery and all that shizz. So, I mean, if you don't enjoy your work, you're pretty much SADOCCUPIED, is the term I'd like to call it. (sad+occupied LOL =)

Just coming back to being uncertain, the reason why I feel so is because I didn't actually mind going to uni, doing research, handing in assignments (although final presentations were always nerve-wrecking) and if your hardwork is paid off by good results, it'd be a pat in the back. As opposed to work, I guess the biggest payoff would not only BE your paycheck but also the feeling of being able to enjoy your occupation. I reckon I really want to feel like these 5 and a half years of architecture course would be sufficient to score me a job I desire.

Well, so much for me rambling, I really wanted to post up my final Thesis design, which had made me quite proud of myself in that it has been a huge learning curve and I have come a long way. (LOL now you're just going to think that this project will be extraordinary and mind-blowing! haha well maybe not, I don't know, you be the judge.)