Site Visit

The site I am working with is the Parking lot that runs parallel and on the South Brisbane train line stop. The surrounding context includes that of SouthBank and South Brisbane.

In deconstructing the site below. We can see that there is a bulk in residential area which follows closely behind centre's of activity. What we can also see is tat there is a very small inclusion of community areas in the south of Brisbane. I feel like extending the community area to the north of the site, will be a beneficial idea in engaging people with the main factors on site.

The site works perfectly for this application for two reasons. One, it has a surrounding hub of residential area which insures its use and secondly the site is developed on the back of major public transport. This is an added benefit because it creates a second group of people the site can be designed for.

To begin i felt it was important that I take the time to walk through each of the main stake holders current established site. I am then able to get a feel for the environment and what works well in the context of the site.

SouthBank:

When I began my walk to the site I walked over the Goodwill Bridge then through Southbank. This is so i could get a feel for the atmosphere that south bank creates.

Will walking over the good will bridge I still felt like I was in Brisbane. It wasn't until I could physically see the vine-arc pathway that I felt as though i was entering Southbank.

Entry to SouthBank through Vine-Arc 

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT ADDITION:
This led me to the notion that 'SouthBank' in short is subconsciously perceived in my mind and the mind of others as a natural retreat from the city. Natural form and nature itself growing out from the concrete jungle that is Brisbane City.


To reinforce the concept above i found another example of this and its effectiveness elsewhere in the world. Manhatan New York is most well known for its mass of greenery encompassing the city centre. The trees canopy hide the city from its inhabitants, thus creating an inviting escape from their day to day lives.

The picture below has been created to portray the idea of using nature as a visual boundary/ Limitation so that one can loose themselves in there environment.

It is evident to me that SouthBank has adopted the same approach as New York and used natural greenery to its full advantage.

SouthBank Sensory:

While walking through SouthBank i touched on some of the Sensory Stimulus around the area. It included the following:

- Running Water (HEAR)

- Natural Sounds (HEAR)

- Highly Textural (SIGHT)

- Shaded and Cooling (TOUCH) 

- Mysterious (..........)

- Confusing (........) 

All these elements are to be kept in mind when starting my design phase of this development. To include these feelings and concepts would be recreating something in image of SouthBank. 

The Cut off at SouthBank

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT ADDITION:
Something else i found interesting walking through SouthBank is the Definitive end to were Brisbane developments pic up again. It is a very harsh finish with no threshold space. It is almost as if it was done on purpose to show a "Novelty Juxtaposition" between the two spaces; SouthBank and Brisbane.

This ideology is repeated at random points along SouthBank. Cite pictures below.

Brisbane city Visible At SouthBank Beach Front

Brisbane City Visible at The New SouthBank River Side

These Glimpses of the city Made me keep that constant feel as if i was venturing in and out of a completely different section. One minute the city is gone and im in an exciting garden the next its used as a feature.

THOUGHTS AFTER ANALYSIS:

I feel that the site needs to be created into a  community area. These spaces are dwindling in numbers around Brisbane. I wont to take a literal response to the brief were i am designing for SouthBank Corporation and Brisbane City Council (Queensland Rails) as one. I would like to create a really strong juxtaposition on the site, hopefully creating a novelty between Nature (SouthBank) and Street Art (Brisbane)