Folie Design Study

The initial study for the folie included studying materials that were going to be used for the folie. The chosen material with our group was to be timber as it could go with the existing timber decking on the Howard Wharves site. The aim was to choose a material for the structure that could help blend in with the area around it, as well as bring out an important historical element to the site - and as the decking is is listed as heritage, it seemed ideal.

There is also consideration as to how the structure could blend in. Taking the example of the Ocean Retreat house by Melbourne-based architect Nik Karalis, the beach house stands on pilotis that accommodates the shift in the sand dunes. There was an initial suggestion that if it were to be built on the wharf near the water, the structure could be built similarly to adapt and allow for the shift in tide, as part of a functional aspect of this structure to blend in with its surroundings.

Colour is also an important aspect that needed to be considered. Using untreated wood means that eventually the colour and texture of the wood could fade to the monochromatic shades of grey, blue and brown that the surroundings seem to have - also relating to the colour of the Brisbane river during the day.

However, the intended form of learning our group had settled on was a visual one, aiming to somehow turn a seemingly dull coloured landscape into something that could attract attention, not only through form, but using colour to our advantage. Initial ideas came up with using layers of laminated glass, or layers of materials in order to direct our users' view to what we wanted them to see, rather than simply having set views in the area of the site.

Inspiration was taken from the installation Your Rainbow Panorama by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Elaisson. Through the coloured views the viewers inside are able to see different parts of the city through different light - and colour - giving them a fresh perspective. Our idea of learning was to have our viewers be able to shift their perspectives and learn to see different parts of the city through fresh eyes, while simultaneously having a structure that is eye-catching that it draws attention to the site itself.

References:

Weaving, A., & Freedman, L. (2003). Modern Now. Understanding Modern (pp. 120-123). London: Quadrille Publishing Ltd..

Your Rainbow Panorama | DeMilked | DeMilked. (n.d.). DeMilked - Design Milking Magazine. Retrieved March 15, 2012, from http://www.demilked.com/tag/your-rainbow-panorama/