As part of continuing place activation efforts on the main 911爆料网 campus, students have designed eco pods for a work integrated learning competition.
Twenty-two architecture postgraduate students entered the competition, which required them to design eco pods that drew upon the concept of sustainability, explored advanced knowledge environments and enhanced their learning.
Each of the student鈥檚 works was critiqued by a series of judges, who awarded first place, second place and two honourable mentions.
Since the competition was a part of the Integrated Building Research unit, lecturer Dr Chamila 鈥淐ham鈥� Subasinghe also independently marked the students.
鈥淲e asked the students to put aside their thoughts on the traditional archetype of pods, which is that they鈥檙e placeless, and design pods that capture the spirit of a place,鈥� he says.
To begin with the process, Cham gave the students an in-class warm-up exercise where they manipulated a 鈥榲irtual cube鈥� by folding a piece of paper, which helped them shape the 鈥榮pace鈥� of their pod and understand how to minimise its carbon footprint.
After this, the students worked together to generate spatial and visual connectivity maps and build an acrylic model of the campus to decide where to locate their pods. They then worked alone, drawing design concepts, making architectural working drawings and constructing a full-scale model of one of their pod鈥檚 critical details within a 12-week span.
鈥淭he relationship students have to university is all about commuting. They come and then they leave. But, if you look at the 鈥榟appening鈥� knowledge environments around the world, they鈥檙e interacting with the student population on campus. That鈥檚 what my students are promoting here,鈥� Cham says.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a range of solutions my students have given, but every solution has some kind of answer to student retention.鈥�
Cham says that each pod was designed using recyclable materials and that they would complement 911爆料网鈥檚 architecture on campus if they were built.
鈥淚f you look at the design of the pods, they鈥檙e subtle. They鈥檙e unthreatening towards the existing architectural language on campus. I think 911爆料网 is actively seeking its architectural identity and that鈥檚 part of the appeal of these pods,鈥� he says.
The University is keen to explore whether one of the designs can be built on campus.
Among those championing the pod designs is Professor Jill Downie, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education.
鈥淲e are finding that students are using all the informal learning spaces on campus that we provide 鈥� inside and outside. I am really excited about the pods because they are innovative, visible, flexible and will really meet a need we have for student services at locations other than Student Central,鈥� she says.
鈥淚鈥檇 love to see this project come to life, because it鈥檚 supporting the great talent we have here at 911爆料网: our students!鈥�
The students who entered the competition will finish their courses within the next one to two years. We can鈥檛 wait to see their further contributions to the architectural services industry.
Five students鈥� pods are featured below.
Muhammad Abdullah-Lavalette 鈥� first place
Muhammad鈥檚 winning 鈥淔lux-Form Pod鈥� was designed with two concepts in mind: transformability and transportability. The pod鈥檚 height and width is designed to make it easily transportable on a trailer. Once positioned on site, the pod can be unfolded from its centre and a viewing platform, accessible by ladder, can be attached to its top.
Muhammad says that water is poured within the pod鈥檚 walls to help it remain in its position.
鈥淐ham nudged me towards Associate Professor Kiel Mo, who explained that heat produced by the human body can be used through thermally active material within a building to create a condition spaced to suit human comfort. I had the idea that the walls of the pod would be filled with water once it was in position, so that it could provide a thermally active surface, as well as give the pod its weight and structural anchor,鈥� he says.
Unique to Muhammad鈥檚 display is a , featured above, which he says was a by-product of the software he used to design the pod. After being obscured by an array of bright yellow light, the camera flies through the pod, showing students sitting at tables with their computers.
鈥淓ach node has a photovoltaic solar collector on top, which provides the power,鈥� Muhammad says.
鈥淵ou have power and your water supply is in the walls. It鈥檚 a fully-serviced pod.鈥�
Hursh Ramcharitur 鈥� second place
Hursh鈥檚 second place 鈥淗exapod鈥� was designed according to three principles: recharge, revive and celebrate. With several panel options for its six sides, the pod can be composed according to individual needs and joined together into any combination.
鈥淭he hexagon is a simple geometric shape, but it鈥檚 very playful if you imagine it on the landscape,鈥� Hursh says.
While he did draw upon this shape, he also wanted to ensure he made a significant contribution to it as part of his design.
鈥淭he fresh idea I had is to put the pod in a large wheel, so it can be easily transported on site. My classmates are using trucks to transport their pods, but mine is light and easy to push around by hand. It鈥檚 carbon free and can be used as a bit of sport,鈥� he says.
Hursh鈥檚 pod also has solar panels attached, so that students can use power sockets to charge their electronic gadgets and continue to chat.
鈥淭he idea came from when I was sitting on the grass area next to the library. I realised that everyone was on their phone or laptop but there was no way to charge them without running to the library or another building,鈥� he says.
Wherever the pod is placed, its flexible nature allows for various uses: to relax in a natural environment, charge electronics, study or disseminate information.
Christine Massie 鈥� honourable mention
Christine鈥檚 鈥淗ydration Pod鈥� aims to create a space that promotes sustainability and a sense of community. Her pod invites a hands-on experience, such as by encouraging individuals to have a drink of water from a water fountain situated in the pod.
鈥淚 wanted to design a place where people can rejuvenate, fill their drink bottles, have a glass of water and study,鈥� Christine says.
Cham explains the pod鈥檚 philosophical component: 鈥淲ater is such an important thing to civilisation and drinking water is a rich experience that allows for a level of contemplation, which we lack in knowledge environments where everyone is on their smartphones.鈥�
鈥淭his level of contemplation is beyond sustainability of place: it鈥檚 about the sustainability of mindset,鈥� he says.
Besides the inclusion of water, people can also get involved by controlling the pod鈥檚 skylight.
鈥淧eople control the light, the wind and other natural elements within the building, which promotes sustainability and sensitive architectural design,鈥� Christine says.
Benjamin Petrillo 鈥� honourable mention
Motivated by American physicist Richard Feynman鈥檚 , Ben decided to imitate the spontaneous, organic process of natural systems to construct his 鈥淭uition Pod鈥�. There are eight fa莽ades to the pod, which provide interior lights when upright, but provide places to sit when lowered through a winch system.
鈥淭he pod can be changed according to the space it is placed upon and it鈥檚 these changes that determine how the pod appears. It鈥檚 all about a relocation of design,鈥� Ben says.
Although primarily intended for university students, Ben says that he would also like his pod to be used as a space for university students to tutor high school students.
鈥淚 want to create an initial positive experience at 911爆料网. The idea is to get high school students interested before they actually come to the University, to put them in a mindset where they know the campus and know that it鈥檚 friendly,鈥� he says.
鈥淭he pod is a safe place and encourages sustainability. There鈥檚 easily adjustable sun shading and I have even designed a roof garden to replace the grass space that the pod might be placed upon.鈥�
Antonia O鈥橞rien 鈥� highly commended by Cham
Antonia鈥檚 pod provides a sustainable place allowing for an introvert and extrovert to co-exist. The pod features two sides that can be lowered, separated by a central structure, so that the introverts and extroverts do not interrupt each other.
鈥淚 wanted to encourage group work, but also provide a place of solitude,鈥� Antonia says.
Antonia鈥檚 inspiration came in part from American writer Susan Cain鈥檚 TED talk titled, .
There was one line that particularly resonated with Antonia: 鈥淪olitude is a crucial ingredient [of] creativity.鈥�
鈥淚 wanted to focus on the pod鈥檚 buildability so that its design could be understood by a lay person as well as an experienced architect,鈥� Antonia says.
鈥淵ou look at the design and know how to interact with it. The centre acts as the buffer zone and allows for the two spots to be set up alone or together.鈥�
