Camden Pyke - Architecture Portfolio

M.Arch (prof), BAS - Victoria University, Wellington

Architectural Ecology - Thesis 2010

White Lies - Design 2009

Theatre / Gallery - Design 2008

Unesco Creative Cities - Construction 2008

Moutere Hills Winery - Construciton 2009

Hitaua Bay Additions - Freelance 2010

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Camden B. Pyke

E: cb_pyke@hotmail.com

P: +6427 330 3594

W: http://issuu.com/camdenpyke

The design component of the research thesis investi-gates how increased built development and regenera-tion of damaged environments can jointly be achieved through architectural development, incorporating creatively and sensitively designed buildings. It seeks to adapt and translate technologies and resources to act not only as an environmental cleanser, but also provide for urban regeneration to go beyond the rhetoric of green and sustainable building principles.

The research finds that a change in focus is re-quired; away from monetary focus and instead to environmental focus. This needs to occur im-mediately to avoid further environmental dam-age and to begin remediation of existing damage. This can be resolved by incorporating existing re-mediation techniques further into development.

Urban responses and architecture play very important roles. The creation of mixed use sites with green space allow for localised consumption and rec-reation. Inhabitation patterns have been poorly ad-dressed in New Zealand development and a differ-ent rationale and process needs to be undertaken.

The design investigates and addresses the issues of regeneration, both of site and urban conditions. It sits between the two streams of thought, techno-logical and theoretical and extracts the positives of these two elements to create an informed solu-tion that recognises past, present and future use.

Architectural Ecology: cleansing & regeneration of polluted place through architecture

Supervisor: Shenuka de Sylvia Kulugamma

The project re-uses the existing tanks to undertake bioremediation. The soil from the site is excavated and the tanks act as soil columns and remove con-taminants over the period of approximately a year. The transport of the soil to the tanks occurs on con-veyer systems, supported by a hexagonal structural framework that wraps around the tanks. This frame incorporates the ideas associated with Prosolve 370e. However, instead of using these panels as a fa-cade element, the design incorporates the pollution absorbing technology into the cladding elements that clip over the steel structural frame.

Through its life as a petro-chemical store, the site has had a number of tenants. Shell and Mobil were both major tenants until the 1990’s. There have numerous of uses for the tanks throughout their operational lifespan. This is shown by documents obtained from the Auckland Archives. They show “petrol, Avgas 100, Jet A-1, hexane, kerosene ...am-monia...ethanol [and]... turpentine,” (Auckland City Council (ACC), unknown) among others, haveall been stored on the site. Current-ly Marstel Terminals operates the only remaining storage facilities on the site.

The history of uses of the site has left serious con-tamination issues. There is a verbal history report-ing that the contents of one of the bulkstore gaso-line tanks emptying entirely into the soil in the late 1980’s. Reporting undertaken for Auckland City Council found “significant soil and groundwater contamination... there is potential for further con-tamination to be found” (AKC), 1990, pg. 7.0). Sea + City development agency has also had contamina-tion studies undertaken, which highlight the pres-ence of heavy metals and separate phase hydrocar-bons (SPH) in the soil.

Once the site has been remediated it will become safe for inhabitation. The project argues that to cleanse the earth, only to build over it and again create impermeable ground planes is a tremendous waste of productive land. Therefore the majority of building around the tanks will be raised up, sup-ported by the frame structure and the tanks them-selves, which are used for a mixture of public and commercial functions. Larger tanks, such as an art gallery, parking building, gym and church. Tanks are also used for greywater storage and treatment, water storage, heating and energy production.

The frame is created from a number of interweaved hexagons of different sizes and heights. It is largely elevated above ground, supported from the tanks themselves and from steel columns. It provides an aesthetically effective frame that follows a definable pattern and provides contrast to the circular forms of the tanks themselves. The makeup of the frame offers a large amount of surface area, allowing the frame to remove air pollution whilst acting as a sys-tem within the larger development which can be reused.

These functions have been selected as they are very inwards focused, requiring few changes to the tanks, as openings compromise their strength as shell structures. The hexagonal frame is now utilised as access and support for the residential units. The form creates private paths between the units, with the interior of the hexagonal frame used for plumb-ing and wiring services. The lifespan of development is a crucial issue to ad-dress ecological and environmental impact. The re-use of the tanks and the hexagonal frame provide a long, changeable lifespan for the site developments.

ABOVE: Time-based elevation of the site showing the transformation through mediation and development

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Typical apartment -day; typical apartment - night; interior of tank - gymnasium; interior of tank - gallery

ABOVE: Perspective view of development showing inhabited tanks and hexagonal structure supporting apartments

ABOVE: Time-based sections through deveopment - during remediation / excavation (top), during inhabitation (bottom)

ABOVE: Perspective view of development showing inhabited tanks and hexagonal structure supporting apartments

This design project investigates the deceptive pow-ers associated both with architecture and wine. Initial investigations focused on the reliance on al-cohol and effects predominant in New Zealand. Sited in Martinborough the vineyard produces solely non-alcoholic wine through cold filtration.

Despite this, it uses architectural tech-niques to impart the idea of intoxification through sensory shifts within the building.

It undertakes this deception through both architectur-al moments and the material palette. This is achieved through a public gallery that on entry appears open, light and inviting. However after travelling to the tast-ing room the return journey is imposing, dark and narrowing. Regarding materiality, the winemaking facilities are exposed concrete, suggesting an honesty and integrity within these spaces, whilst the public spaces are timber coated with internalised areas of semi-permeability - suggesting a veiled understanding of the processes and allowing hints of the deception.

The building consists of production space, of-fices, a public tasting room and a public gal-lery that spans the length of the building.

White Lies - Winery, Martinborough

Tutor: Tobias Danielmeier

ABOVE: Ground Floor Plan, Winery, from 1:100 drawing

ABOVE: Perspective view of winery with offices, tasting room left, production facilities right

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Entry to winery along public gallery; tasting room; exit along public gallery; exit from tasting room

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Section C-C, from 1:100 drawing; Section A-A, from 1:100 drawing; Section B-B, from 1:100 drawing

The brief of this third year design project stipulated a 24 hour space with two programmes that could ei-ther inhabit the space simultaneously, or periodically.

The programme, for a gallery and studio for the art-ist Christian Boltanski and a public micro-theatre in-habits the space concurrently and violently; the spaces intertwined and changeable with movement and usage.

Boltanski’s works in the static gallery spaces challenge the idea of memory and it’s transformation, provid-ing discourse to the dynamic spaces which ultimate-ly attempt to achieve the same outcome through a different architectural experience, creating a battle for dominance between the two spaces. The mate-rial of the microtheatre leaves a visual memory of this.

The building is situated in the residual space around buildings in central Wellington. It forces itself into these small spaces, contesting their non-use, yet, in appearance is sympathetic and non-imposing on the existing fabric.

Theatre / Gallery: transformation, memory and violence

Tutor: Anna Welch

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Changes in theatre shape; Section B-B from 1:100 drawing; Section A-A from 1:100 drawing; Section C-C from 1:100 drawing

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Perspective view from Ghuznee Street; perspective view to Ghuznee Street; Floor plan from 1:100 drawing

Construction Project:

The aim of this construction project was to provide a temporary Visitor Centre for the UNESCO Creative Cities, to be held on a waterfront site in Wellington.

The response recognises the history of the site on Queens Wharf whilst integrating functional ar-chitectural elements. Containers are used to inter-pret the former uses as a working wharf, at the same time acting as a highly successful reusable form.

No structural changes are made to all except one of the containers, which is altered to allow it to fold down into a multi-purpose space, acting as a deck in fine weath-er to increase the usable area, a covering in inclem-ent weather and as a second skin when not required.

Inserted between some of the containers are glass box office and meeting spaces comprising of LINIT glaz-ing to harmonise with the aesthetic of the containers.

UNESCO Creative Cities Visitor Centre - Wellington

Tutor: Erin Collins

WEST ELEVATION- from 1:50 drawing

FIRST FLOOR PLAN- from 1:100 drawing

SOUTH ELEVATION- from 1:50 drawing

SECTION 2-B03 - from 1:20 drawingSECTION 1-B03 - from 1:20 drawing

SECTION 2-B02- from 1:100 drawing

ROOF HINGE POINT DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing

FLOOR HINGE POINT DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing

SECOND SKIN - CONTAINER DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing

ROOF - GLAZING DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing

CONTAINER - CONTAINER FIXING - from 1:5 drawing

CONTAINER - WHARF FIXING - from 1:5 drawing

WALL - FLOOR DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing

CONTAINER - WHARF DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing

Construction Project:

The fourth year construction course was divided into two projects. The first was to detail the exterior shell of a winery building for Moutere Hills Winery. The sec-ond project was to design a fit-out for a specific part of the building. These areas, shown over the follow-ing pages, were a tasting room and conference room.

The fit-out follows a philosophy of minimal-ism. Minimal materials are expressed, with the interior largely clad in wood, in a stained or natural state, with steel structure and glass.

The forms within the space continue this princi-pal with two large islands serving as the only fur-niture, the staircase acts as further wine storage.

The detail also seeks to minimise and hide con-nections and joints with recessed detail-ing where possible and finger-jointing in the cabinetry allowing for clean, precise fixings.

Moutere Hills Winery - Upper Moutere

Tutor: Richard Wiles

GROUND FLOOR PLAN - from 1:50 drawing

SECTION 4-P26 - from 1:50 drawingSECTION 3-P26 - from 1:50 drawing

ISLAND CONSTRUCTION - from exploded 3d drawing

ISLAND CONSTRUCTION - from 1:5 drawing

STAIR CONSTRUCTION - from exploded 3d drawing STAIR CONSTRUCTION - from 1:5 drawing

BALUSTRADE - STAIR DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing STAIR - WALL DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing

TASTING ROOM - 3d perspectives

SUSPENDED CEILING DETAILS - from 1:5 drawingLEVEL TWO FLOOR DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing

Freelance work:

The brief for this project was to draw-up the ex-isting sketches to consent level for a sleep-out ad-dition to a bach in the Malborough Sounds.

However, through discussion with the client, the brief was changed and the sleep-out was en-larged and redesigned into a form that fitted more naturally into the site and the existing bach.

A number of issues, including DOC reserve, sea-spray concerns and cost arose through drafting. Thus, the project has developed and evolved throughout the consent process.

Status: in construction.

Hituau Bay Addition - Malborough Sounds

Client: S. Urquhart-Hay

SITE PLAN - from 1:200 drawing

SITE PLAN - from 1:100 drawing

NORTH ELEVATION - from 1:50 drawing FRAMING PLAN - from 1:50 drawing

FLOORING PLAN - from 1:50 drawingWEST ELEVATION - from 1:50 drawing

SECTION 2-3 - from 1:50 drawing SECTION A-B - from 1:50 drawing

DOOR HEAD DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing FOUNDATION DETAIL - from 1:10 drawing

DECK POST - BEARER DETAIL - from 1:10 drawingDOOR SILL DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing

ROOF - BARGE BOARD DETAIL - from 1:10 drawing

WALL INTERSECTION DETAIL - from 1:5 drawing RISK MATRIX EVALUATION

ROOF - WALL DETAIL - from 1:10 drawing ROOF RIDGE DETAIL - from 1:10 drawing