VCD Unit 2 Outcome 1
Environmental design
a folio of work demonstrating the stages of the VCD design process to present an environmental design solution, drawing inspiration from its context and a chosen design style.
Design, place and time
How does design reflect and respond to the time and place in which it is made?
Overview – Outcome 1 Folio
How does design reflect and respond to the time and place in which it is made?
You will:
Examine the relationships between design, place and time, and learn about the influence of context when designing environments in which to live, work and play.
Analyse how design examples from architecture, interior, exhibition or landscape design reflect and respond to their surrounding context, while considering how designers draw inspiration from other times and places.
Engage with the Discover and Define phases of the VCD design process to identify environmental design problems specific to a location of choice.
Use research methods to establish influential contextual factors such as economic, technological, cultural, environmental and social influences. Continued…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G2WUqW7V3M
A great video by Damien Lees that explains the 4 design fields, including Environmental
Overview – Outcome 1 Folio
You will:
Reframe an environmental design problem in the form of a brief
Gather inspiration from both contemporary sources and historical design movements and traditions as you engage with the Develop phase of the VCD design process.
Brainstorm design ideas inspired by contextual factors and selected historical design styles.
Use schematic drawings and ideation sketches while experimenting with design elements and principles
Choose appropriate manual or digital drawing methods, media and materials to visualise and render forms, and to explore relationships in space from various viewpoints, such as paraline and perspective drawings, plans and elevations.
Critique potential design concepts with peers, and respond to feedback
Refine selected concepts, present your resolved design solution as either a model or documentation drawings with technical conventions.
The Melbourne Social Housing Challenge
Knox Schlapp Housing Project, Port Melbourne | Peter Elliott Architecture and Urban Design | Ministry of Housing 1985 | Photographer John Gollings.
Research Public or Social Housing History in Melbourne and identify a design need.
TASK 1
In your folio, include 1 page of imagery (and weblinks) of public housing in Melbourne from different decades . Annotate: what relationships can you identify between design, place and time? How does context influence the design of environments in which to live, work and play?
Conduct some research into what are some of the challenges with affordable housing in Melbourne, and
what are some possible design needs? Consider economic, technological, cultural, environmental and social influences.
Here are some sites to get you started. Note - these offer different PERSPECTIVES on the issue.
https://www.housing.vic.gov.au/public-housing
https://blueprint.ozpropertygroup.com.au/should-we-tear-down-melbournes-public-housing-towers/
https://www.architecture.com.au/archives/reading-architecture/a-crucible-for-new-housing-typologies
https://map.savepublichousing.com/locations/kensington-public-housing-estate
https://www.homes.vic.gov.au/projects
https://www.warc.com.au/architecture-is-for-people
Re-frame the problem – Write a Brief
Use this outline as a starting point. Extend or alter depending on your research findings
Client – Housing Victoria, a University or other organisation needing affordable housing for a community of people. In 2023 Design week held an event with a focus on good design for social housing! It is a real and current issue!
Design Need/Purpose – Affordable housing with GOOD design. The design should consider architecture designs from the past as an influence, as well as contemporary design trends. You might consider adding landscape or play spaces in your brief. Is your design a single dwelling, a small apartment or a high density solution?
Audience – consider age, gender, socio-economic status, interests and cultural factors.
Context – select a specific area for your housing – inner city, suburban, semi-rural? The location may impact your design.
Considerations/Constraints – what are some of the factors you want to consider in your design? Humanity and dignity? Sustainable? Access to a community garden/rooftop green space? Family friendly, aged care, mixed generations? Aesthetics? Economic? Technological?
TASK 2
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Gather Inspiration!
TASK 3
Make 1-2 pages of inspirational images, annotated to explain what ideas they give you for solving your design problem.
Include some architecture designs from previous times/styles such as: Art Deco, Queen Anne, Bungalow, Modernism, Memphis as well as more contemporary design, post-modern.
Here’s a great website to get you started on thinking about what makes GOOD design for social housing: https://www.architecture.com.au/archives/reading-architecture/a-visual-essay-of-social-housing
Here’s a brief history of architecture styles in Melbourne: https://heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/What-House-is-That.pdf
Brainstorm design ideas inspired by contextual factors and selected historical design styles
TASK 4
https://urbanbardians.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/housing-final-presentation-and-process-summary/
Brainstorming opens up ideas – divergent thinking!
Use lists, mind-maps, sketches, notes, word association
Generate ideas- drawing
Use schematic drawings and ideation sketches while experimenting with design elements and principles – draw at least 2-3 A3 pages of different ideas. These are your initial ideas, they might be floor plan view, elevation view or perspective, they are free hand at this stage.
TASK 5
Explore ways of representing ideas
Choose appropriate manual or digital drawing methods, media and materials to visualise and render forms, and to explore relationships in space from various viewpoints, such as paraline (planometric) and perspective (1 and 2 point) drawings, floor plans and elevations.
Your teacher will workshop these skills with you.
Floor plan of one dwelling:
if an apartment/high density, floorplan of one dwelling as representative of the complex.
If they are single story you might also consider a landscape plan showing where dwellings sit in relation to each other and other landscape elements.
TASK 6
Critique – gather and respond to feedback
Critique potential design concepts with peers, and respond to feedback
TASK 7
You can get feedback in a formal critique in front of the class, or more informally in a table group or a partner or you can make survey questions. Reflect on your feedback and explain how you will respond to it in your design refinement.
Refine and Resolve – Final Presentations
Refine selected concepts, present your resolved design solution as either a model or documentation drawings with technical conventions
TASK 8
https://www.warc.com.au/social-housing-ringwood
Outcome 1�On completion of this unit the student should be able to present an environmental design solution that draws inspiration from its context and a chosen design style. �
Key knowledge
Outcome 1�On completion of this unit the student should be able to present an environmental design solution that draws inspiration from its context and a chosen design style.
Key skills
You will be assessed on the key skills, and application of key knowledge . They form the evidence for meeting this Outcome.