Exemplar 3: Dunbar by Jennifer Taylor & James Conner
A house is an environmental filter- Stradbroke Island can experience a wide variety of climatic conditions and it is obvious that this has had a huge influence on the design outcome of Dunbar. In recognising the need for natural ventilation and sun coverage in the summer and the exact opposite in the winter, Taylor and Conner have created a house that has the ability to physically adapt to the day-to-day weather conditions of the island. The result includes a series of movable walls and a retractable roof. The Library and Living Room walls can be physically folded back to functionally interconnect to the central courtyard allowing a generous amount of natural light and air to enter and cool the building.
A house is a container of human activities- Dunbar's adaptability again proves itself with it's ability to accommodate fluctuating numbers and a variety of activities. Depending on the occasion the walls can be adjusted and manoeuvred to create a place for casual or formal dinning, large gatherings or a family home. Dunbar's flexible concept further allows for a desired open plan living arrangement whilst still accommodating the residents needs for privacy.
A house is a delightful experience- The front facade of Dunbar attempts to fool it's observers , suggesting little of the open central courtyard and it's wrap around ocean views. The entry automatically intensify's the experience as the observer takes the journey from the outside into what ought to be an enclosed interior. Instead they find themselves without any immediate walls or roof overlooking the ocean, like a private headland offering a place for deep reflection. As the afternoon tropical storm moves over the observer becomes aware that this open-aired atmosphere can soon all change into an enclosed private home. With movable walls and a retractable roof, Dunbar does not offer its residents or visitors any kind of permanency but instead a delightful experience within a multi-functional space.
An intense study over the plans for Dunbar allowed me to recognise its successful componants. Using the criteria of a house as an environmental filter, a house as a container of human activities and a house as a delightful experience I was able to sketch a series of diagrams to depict Dunbar's specific design qualities. I then used this analyis to guide my own design principles in designing a cabin for my choosen exemplar architect. Please refer to the next page of this blog- Application of Analysis, for more detail regarding my design process and a full set of plans.
References
Alexander, C., Ishikawa, S., Silverstein, M., Jacobson, M., Fiksdahl-King, I. & Angel, S. (1977). A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction. New York: Oxford University Press.
Boddy, A. (2002). Dunbar: review. Retrieved March 5, 2011 from http://archimedia.com.au/aa/aaissue.php?article=13&issueid=200203&typeon=2
Queensland Government. (2008). Queensland Art Gallery: Jennifer Taylor and James Conner. Retrieved March 5, 2011 from http://qag.qld.gov.au/exhibitions/past/2008/place_makers/architects/jennifer_taylor_&_james_conner
Taylor, J. (2003). The Architecture of Fumihiko Maki: Space, City, Order and Making. Switzerland: Birkhause.
Wallace, M., & Stutchbury, S. (2008). Placemakers: Contemporary Queensland Architects. Brisbane, QLD: Queensland Art Gallery.