:: URBAN RESILIENCE :: Assignment one ::

:: URBAN RESILIENCE  :: Assignment one ::
DAB 710 2011 Project 1

Design Charrette…
“Facing the Floods”

The Design Charrette is an intense design activity and will act as a starting point for the understanding of what
the potential role of the architect/designer is in the world today. In small groups, students will identify a unique
condition of the flooded site they choose within New Farm and design for the flood victims of the area.
The Charrette is an intense design activity that promotes group interaction while examining local issues of the
New Farm context. The ideas behind the charrette are based on:
- the TesserAct Competition
http://tesseractcompetitions.com/current/

OBJECTIVES:
The Charrette is an opportunity for students to collaborate on a complex design problem, which will require
careful consideration and coordination of all team members.

The Charrette is intended to:
‐ Introduce students to the New Farm Context
‐ Identify what is needed in the chaotic situation of flooding
‐ Design and implement something to improve people’s living while facing flooding
‐ be adventurous – think & make, be ambitious
‐ participate in current competition with external judges

OUTCOMES:
- architectural design that responds to humanitarian need
- explore design as an indeterminate process.
- develop visual communication skills
- potential exhibition of designs locally and internationally
Presentation Format & Hand In:

DUE WEEK 3:
March 15th by 11:59pm Upload digital files on to Blackboard and to Tesseract Competition Site (TBD)
March 16th in tutorial @4pm Group Presentation of Facing the Flood Design MAX. duration 10min:
MINIMUM of 4 x A3 or 1XA1 panels PINNED UP

You must identify how the design improves people’s living by incorporating a range of communication
techniques:
‐ 3D model (can be digital or physical)
‐ images of design (include context of site)
‐ 1 x (1 minute) animation, (can be a digital animation or a video)
‐ 1 x Plan
‐ 1 x Section
‐ 1 x Elevation
‐ 1 x Site Plan (identification of the context)
‐ min of 1 x Diagram – showing how design is to be implemented

CHARRETTE RULES:
Rules are Based on the “Facing the Floods” competition brief
http://tesseractcompetitions.com/current/
TESSERACT Competitions
“Facing the Floods

BACKGROUND:
We will have all seen and heard much about the extensive flooding recently, from Australia to Sri Lanka, and
right the way across in Brazil. In the face of such chaos and disaster it is striking how this has affected first-hand people of many different cultures and classes. It’s a strong reminder that humanitarian design is not always just for the underprivileged in our world, and sometimes circumstances can throw a stable and strong society into massive humanitarian need. Even some of you reading this I’m sure will have seen personally the devastation of floods in the past few months.

THE CHALLENGE:
We are asking you to design for flood victims. You can look closely at one area which has been recently
effected, or tackle the subject on a wider level- we want you to explore what you think is necessary in these
chaotic situations and what you would like to implement to improve people’s living. This could be in terms of
safe shelter, protecting belongings, temporary infrastructure, saving buildings, access and transport, or any
aspect which you think is important! The main focus is on providing a quick response, your design or strategy
should be something that can be implemented swiftly after flooding strikes.”

1. Design for flood victims of New Farm, QLD
2. The design must improve people’s living
3. Students must work in groups of 4 students
4. Students are responsible for choosing their site within New Farm. You can use NearMap to help find
flooded areas of New Farm http://www.nearmap.com/
5. Based on the competition brief students are encouraged to follow the official competition rules and
refer to competition website http://tesseractcompetitions.com/current/

CHARRETTE DETAILS:
· Location: FOR DAB710 choose a site within New Farm.
· You cannot remove any existing buildings, but you can add on to existing structures.
· Size: Keep your design small—no larger than 3mx3mx3.65m (10’x10’x12’) or 3mx6mx3.65m (10’x20’x12’)
When designing, you are encouraged to consider Frank Lloyd Wright’s interest in the connection between
architecture and location, i.e., how does your design respond to the specific natural and built environments
that surround it? How does it respond to the social, political, and ephemeral issues of the site?
Qualified entries are judged on a variety of qualities, including:

• Successful design submissions should push the limits of creativity for flood response.
• Your design should be something that can be implemented swiftly after flooding strikes.
• Design proposals must, at a minimum, identify a temporary means of installation, and provide illustrations for how the design is to be implemented.
• competition submissions are encouraged to incorporate sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions.
• The relationship of the design to the built or natural environment around it: How does the architecture of your design relate to the physical location you have chosen for it? How is your design placed on the physical site? In what ways does your design take into account the physical site’s weather?
• Innovative design: How does your design organize space? How does your design affect how people live?
• Thoughtful use of materials:
Why did you choose the materials that you used? How do the materials enhance your design?