WEEK 6 -PRESENTATION.

Final Panel Presentation - by Kris Hartas, Jordyn Milliken, Jacqueline Fick & Rory Mackay 

Feedback provided from tutors after presentation - none. 

CHARACTER PROFILE BELOW:

INDIVIDUAL PROJECT STATEMENT

Future senario, lifestyles, sustainability and possibilities: 

Due to technological advancement it becomes increasingly possible for work and communications to be conducted in various environments outside the office. This transformation encourages many businesses to be conducted virtually, creating a disconnection from the typical 9-5 working hours and social agenda that revolves around this. The fact that people would no longer be under pressure to commute for business would drastically reduce fuel emissions and traffic congestion issues that are currently troubling Brisbane CBD. Effectively the reliance on the CBD will begin to wilter, with vacancy in many commercial buildings being presented for future architectural possibilities. This presents the CBD with the opportunity to make way for a greater mixed use and more sustainable scheme, with the introduction of more affordable residential accommodation, entertainment facilities, services, transportation and green space.
Modular work spaces and cafe/restaurants will be implemented throughout the pedestrian friendly zones and now vacant car parks, that are conveniently connected with a new public tram line service. The tram line will eliminate the need for bus and vehicle transportation within the central district of the CBD, instead the tram will deliver its services to the outer circumference of the CBD allowing users to transfer to connecting bus and train lines to outer Brisbane districts.
Consequently the Victoria Bridge has the opportunity to be utilised as a pedestrian public parkland connecting the CBD directly to Southbank, creating a public interest and attraction that revolves around the Brisbane river.

WEEK 5 - ARCHITECTURAL POSSIBILITIES

Artistic impression of Adelaide street in the CBD - Perspective Drawn by Kris Hartas, Photoshoped by Jordyn Milliken.

Additional work spaces, tram service, and green spaces, all within the new pedestrian only CBD zone. 

Artistic impression of new cafe structures - Perspective Drawn by Kris Hartas, Photoshoped by Jaqueline Fick.
Interactive glass surfaces integrated throughout. 

Artistic impression of Queen Street Mall - Perspective Drawn by Kris Hartas, Photoshoped by Jaqueline Fick.
Focus on densifying Queen Street Mall, with the use of vertical gardens. Queen Street mall with become a greater entertainment precinct for the CBD.

Artistic impression of Queen Street Mall - Perspective Drawn by Kris Hartas, Photoshoped by Jaqueline Fick.
Victoria Bridge will become a pedestrian only bridge, linking Queen street directly to Southbank via Tram services cycle and walkability. Interactive glass screens will be used for advertising on the exterior surfaces of the bridge. 

Artistic impression of Queen Street Mall - Perspective Drawn by Kris Hartas, Photoshoped by Jordyn Milliken.
The key to sustainability is greater mix use of the CBD, introducing affordable accommodation for singles and people in defacto relationships will encourage greater street activation on a more constant basis. 

City Circulation opportunities - by Jordyn Milliken.
Introduction of city Tram services. The streets will be given back to the people, by introducing pedestrian only streets within the CBD will encourage greater use of City Cycle and recreational walkability. The result of this transition will deliver space to generate green space as well as work and social hubs throughout the CBD. 

Commuting decrease by 2062 - by Jordyn Milliken.
The two diagrams are read in conjunction with each other, mapping the diminishing commuting rates due to advancement in digital communication strategies, allowing a large percentage of businesses to be able to deliver work from any chosen location. No longer are people restricted to conducting work within Brisbane city. 

Densifying Residential Accommodation within the CBD - by Jordyn Milliken
With advancements of digital communication systems available to the public, many commercial buildings within the CBD are vacant on many levels due to no longer needing space for employee offices. The result of this provides an opportunity to develop residential dwellings within these vacant spaces, to increase liveability within the city.
Specifically these areas highlighted in red will be targeted for this purpose. 

Areas at risk of Job Loss 2012-2062 - by Jordyn Milliken
Areas that are currently at risk of high job loss are particularly those that are located furtherest away from the CBD. In future the need to source jobs directly within the CBD will not by as necessary due to work being flexibility regarding physical location. Greater opportunity for home businesses to develop will occur, and as a result increase jobs in areas at great radiuses from the centre of Brisbane. 

General Brisbane CBD Statistics for 2012-2062 - by Jordyn Milliken

Transportation Use within the CBD- by Jordyn Milliken & Jacqueline Fick
This diagram indicates the gradual progression of transportation transformation. Major roads for both bus and car transport have been highlighted, to give indication of the best possible route for the new public Tram service to run throughout the city. The tram service will run from the CBD to Southbank creating a connected pedestrian zone that will eventually run from Roma street, through to Queen street mall, to Southbank.  Cars will eventually not be used within the CBD, creating greater opportunities for pedestrian street use and for transformation of current car parks into entertainment functions. 

Street Section - by Jacqueline Fick
Indicating the transformation of Brisbane Myer Centre car parks into a public entertainment venue.

Entertainment Precinct Plan 2012-2062 - by Jacqueline Fick

In conjunction with the plan to develop the CBD into an entertainment precinct, this diagram indicates the areas that will be focused on being linked via public pedestrian systems.
Diagram by Jacqueline Fick

Diagram by Jacqueline Fick -Focuses on future decentralisation of the CBD. Although the CBD will densify in terms of creating greater entertainment facilities and residential facilities, so to will many surrounding suburbs, becoming more self reliant on resources and job creation.

WEEK 5 - LECTURE REFLECTION (from journal)

NEW YORK CITY HIGH-LINE:

I have previously researched the high-line, as I have always been interested in the techniques required to successfully deliver a suspended street structure in the form of public activation. What initially drew my interest to the project was the fact that it was a heritage listed rejuvenation project.

The lecture provided me with information that I was not previously aware of which included:
-The political debate, due to the high-line being suspended over numerous private properties
-The use of native plant life used throughout the project
-That the public cannot enter any surrounding infrastructure directly from the high-line without first exiting back to street level.

Possible relation to assignment one:
The high-line was originally constructed to avoid accidents between pedestrians, vehicles and rail transportation. If Brisbane introduces a tax on vehicles accessing the CBD as well as eliminating bus transportation from within the heart of the CBD to the circumference; as a result Victoria Bridge be developed into a similar pedestrianised concept, utilising public interaction and connection to the Brisbane River.

Gentrification:
The high-line shifted the nature of manhattans renowned meat packing district into a refreshed prestigious district lined with architecturally designed hotels and art museums. There are very strong opinions circling the issue of gentrification, despite the economic boost this development would have prompted.
It does however demonstrate the importance of evaluating the social, cultural and economic effects of implementing such redevelopments and or proposals.

relevance to assignment one -  The proposal must take into account the type of occupants that will be attracted now and in future. The city needs to introduce a more affordable residential hubs throughout the city in order to promote a greater mixed use and high density CBD.
Ensuring a greater mixed demographic will ensure an increased and balanced activation.

Week 4- READING REFLECTION.(from journal)

Urban Form and Locality - by Hugh Barton.

Age plus adaptivity is what makes a building come to be loved. The building learns from its occupants, and they learn from it quotes Barton.
This is what I believe to be sustainability at its simplest. A building must be adaptive, for not only the occupants in which it is initially designed for, but for its future occupants and with that, future endeavours.

Barton explains that the key to a sustainable city is mixed use, and in this context it means a balance of population, jobs and services within a township.  The future of brisbane CBD could promote this, integrated with a well connected public transportation system.
This study convincingly shows that mixed use (and in Brisbane CBD's instance, higher vertical density) increases the viability of public transport and permits multi-purpose trips as people walk between work, shop and leisure activities.

WEEK 4 - PEOPLE AND LIFESTYLES

PEOPLE AND LIFE STYLES

Lecture: 
The lecture prompted specific ideas about what will actually occur in the future, which raise questions as to:
- What specific age demographic are we designing for?
- What will be their daily activities and schedules?
- What are their needs?
- What are their roles as future citizens?

Tutorial: 
In response to the lecture, my personal task was to delve into reasons why brisbane CBD would no longer continue as a traditional working zone, what activities would replace these spaces of previous business orientation, living conditions and quality of life that could occur due to these future changes.

Business to entertainment scheme- This change would ultimately challenge the 9-5pm work day that is traditionally present, as a result re-moulding the social context that revolves around these hours.

Analysis was redirected to:
-Where people are most productive
-What is the emotional connection to time
- How will this directly affect Queen street
- How can the CBD create a greater sense of place
- How will Generation Y expand from traditional notions imbedded from previous generations

Time and Productivity:
Generation Y is renowned as the technological generation, but in a world that is connected 24hours a day, 7 days a week - mentally are people finding it hard to find the silence in their lives?
A Ted talk by Jason Fried, 'why work doesn't happen at work': explains that people find it more comforting to work at either a certain time, place or transportation method, which as a result increases their rate of productivity (discovered by Jacquline Fick).

Note: this working from home scenario may not work for each and every discipline, however would still generate a large percentage of vacant space that could potentially be re-vitalised into places for public interaction and entertainment means.

Centralisation Issues:
With the economic crisis continuing, many Australian's are struggling to hold down job positions with the increasing amount of companies declaring redundant positions. The unfortunate reality of this, is the fact that the majority of people can not afford to reside within a close proximity to the CBD, causing commuting rates to drastically increase and so to traffic congestion issues.

Transportation:
Brisbane City Council should ensure an upgrade to the public transportation methods are implemented in order to see any improvement to the congestion problems Brisbane is currently experiencing due to our typical driving culture.

Future Scenario:
With a dramatic increase of online shopping as well as companies having the opportunity and technological advancements readily available to allow employees to generate work from home, or chosen environment; will have a dramatic impact as to what will now draw activity into the CBD.
The CBD will have a great opportunity to develop social interactions through the generation of green public parklands, entertainment facilities and venues, residential and modular public systems.

WEEK 3 - SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Scenario:

Stage one – Economic: With the economic crisis continuing rent is already increasingly difficult for Generation Y to obtain in areas within close proximity to the CBD.  The Impact of this will result in a large amount of people taking up residency in suburbia and or coastal regions, leaving an abundance of buildings needing space re-activation.

Stage two- Transportation Issue:

If commuting rates to the CBD begin to increase drastically due to living conditions, then the Brisbane City Council will be more inclined to introduce a city tax on drivers, similar to which has been introduced in London. 

Queensland has adopted a driving culture, which is largely due to the levels of segregation we experience in the built environment.  With a need and strong reliance on not only getting to and from the CBD but also transportation within by vehicle, regardless of the tax, the public will still commute.

The commuting public now has to take in to consideration the following expenses to travel to work:

-Fuel consumption

-CBD parking per hour

-Additional CBD driving tax

-Wear and Tear on Vehicle Expenses 

And then there is the factor of time wastage, sitting in severe traffic congestion in peek hour times.

The result of extreme expenditure may encourage many to conduct work from home, taking advantage of technological communication techniques.

This will see a positive decrease in peak hour congestion, however this will have a dramatic impact on the CBD in a economic and cultural aspect due to the general decrease in physical public use of the CBD.

Stage three-Technological Communications: A shift in the way we use the CBD may alter due to City taxes being introduced and the overall expense of commuting.

At the rate in which technological communication is developing it is extremely realistic to suggest that increasing amounts of companies may in fact encourage employees to work from home and touch base via technological networks.

Stage Four – A matter of Time: The current 9-5pm working day will be challenged in the case that working from home becomes more predominant.

Work may be conducted based on a pay package per project with an estimation of hours required and a set due date, rather than based on hourly rates. This would allow home workers to work within their own time preferences towards the deadline. This time alteration will allow the CBD to potentially be utilized for activity purposes between or after the typical 9-5 working timeframes. 

WEEK 2 - READING REFLECTION

TSUNAMI WARNINGS WRITTEN IN STONE - By M. Fackler

A cultural tradition was established to present monuments that will ensure the survival of future generations by marking the Tsunami tide levels along the shore line of North Japan for centuries.

The inspiration in which I drew from the article was the sense of unity that was created despite being derived from such tragedy. The initial act was selfless and out of the general generosity to ensure safety to future villages and generations to come. 

To create any type of entity that will prove to serve significant to generations to come is what we all as architects strive to produce. This article makes you re-evaluate the desire to produce iconic, bold or for some even 'selfish' structures as they will eventually be outdated and the initial meaning be lost in transition. In this instance the rawest of materials and basic or built form has conveyed this significant issue. 

The stones stand 10 feet in hight along the North shoreline of Japan

Does Brisbane require greater cultural heritage not per-say in built form but in architectural entities. For myself this brings forward the issues of past versus present relation. To often architecture is developed on the bases of having the opportunity to experience historical events through bold or iconic architectural statements that commemorate and or mourn past historical events (for example Anzac square in Brisbane CBD or the newly constructed 9/11 memorial in America).  I am by no means suggesting that historical events need not to be expressed through architectural form, I am simply advocating that architects may be selling themselves short of a solution that not only commemorates an event, but creatively expresses educational significance in relation to future decisions, productivity and development based on such a historical event. 

WEEK 2 - SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IMPACTS

Cultural:

An article written by aneyoshi journal describing medieval tsunami stone warnings created for the safely of future Japanese generations, describes a sense of cultural unity despite being derived from such tragedy. The tradition is being upheld in a modern representation to document the new flood levels as of 2011.

Brisbane could produce a similar cultural bond over the tragedy of the 2011 flash floods, although the question is, in future will these cultural monuments be produced as a physical form? Or in the case of an advancing technological world will it deem more significant to design or document events online.

In this sense however it was the initial selfless act to create stone warnings to ensure safety to future villages that brought beauty to the tradition. To create any type of entity that will prove to serve significant to generations to come is what we all as architects strive to produce; although when it comes to cultural significance I believe it is important to leave a mark that best signifies the meaning and physical representation that is true to the time in which the event occurred.

Social:

In the words of Arthur Clarke, "the traditional roll of the city as a meeting place for man will no longer make any sense. They will no longer commute for work, they will communicate, they would only travel for pleasure.”

I feel that currently, from general observation, that the Brisbane CBD is a notorious 9-5pm-operation zone. So many failed attempts to introduce culturally innovative spaces and activities, has lead to diminishing social activity.

So what would be a likely future for Brisbane CBD?
Scenario:

It’s the year 2043, the effects of the economic crisis have become a reality as the standard quality of life. The baby boomer generation have been the only generation that have been able to afford living within close proximity of the major cities, forcing generation Y to settle for suburban living regardless of their singular status. This event has promoted a sawing increase in online shopping and business communication with many small business owners as well as few corporate empires now operating through advanced online communication strategies.

Cities are no longer a mandatory 9-5 operation zone, in fact the idea that cities where once regarded as the largest trading empire seems ridiculous. No longer will man commute to take part in business operation when their business can be conducted just as well from any other part of the world. The only active purpose of the new age city, is recreational activity.

With the closure of many boutique shops and corporate high-rises within the CBD, Australian Architects have been contracted to regenerate the CBD for the youth. Introducing single self contained apartments and recreating the city into a valley of sky lines and gardens studio production booths and 24 hour live coverage of world issues, live entertainment with the use of hologram technology and online access will be spread throughout the district, creating a city that is constantly moving (businesses rotate from studio booth day by day) but are consistently connected through technology and GPS.

Current Inspiration:

Many CBD’s around the world are introducing sky garden elements, one that is commonly known is the High Line 23 in New York that was a renovation from the existing sky rail line that used to pass through the city in the 20th Century. This could be a future developing trend for cities, as it does not interfere with the building grid patterns or existing street but has the potential to create a higher density, mixed use, entertainment and green space experience for city users.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-yEb4JT-A8&feature=player_embedded

The above clip shows a walk through of the High Line. For future development this type of structure will need to accommodate a lot more entertainment activity, entertainment that will take advantage of technological advancements. 

Imagine watching a New York, NBA basket ball game live in Brisbane city, through the use of holograms..... this will eventually become possible.