BCA Compliance Report

So for those of you that are interested in what it takes to get a Pit Lane Facility documented to comply with Building Code of Australia, then here is the report for you to flick through.

It pretty much runs through the types of Access and Egress issues that can exist within such a large building.

Fire Exit and Fire Corridors, Separation and Compartmentalisation are all things that I've needed to look at.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feedback from Schematic Submission

Tutor 1:
Good to see you have an understanding of the experiences of the user.
Need to work out which is the Pit Garage that is best spot for the race, as this is where most people will likely congregate. This Garage will most likely have the winning team.

Catering for these events is a huge logistics problem, you'll need to really consider this within the final design and how it will work of such a large building on multiple levels.
Perhaps placing your building on the corner would give you greater freedom over the architecture of your building.

Tutor 2:
Should investigate how VIP's get from you VIP room to the Pit Lane, and how does this journey make them a VIP
Start to solidify your ideas. You've shown me many differing options and its good to see that your project is evolving, but just remember that at some point you need to stop design.

Tutor3:
Good to see that the museum is now reconnected within the race track, however can this be taken further, can the race track go through the museum, can ytou witness both old and new side my side.

Tutor 4:
This building is not one that is seen from the outside. It is internally veiwed and as such, you'll need to consider more finer detailing of the internal parts and paths of the building. Does this change the way you view the building?
I think you need to ask yourself
What do I want?
What can I get?
What am I getting?
I can see why you have done certian things, however in doing something you may be creating a problem elsewhere, either for yourself as the project develops or for the building.

Pit Lane - Schematic Submission

My Submission for Schematic was presented in front of the class and 4 tutors, Only 2 of whom has seen my work before. Within the Presentation we were allowed 3 minutes to put forward our ideas, with the aim being that of selling our idea to a group of Architects for peer review, Not Client review. 

The challenge lies in how can you put forward an idea that you've been thinking about for 6 months in 3 minutes and make it make sense.

I think I did ok, but will have to check the feedback when I get it.

 

Hi, I'm Neil and I'll be presenting my project based on Phillip Island. A project for Motor Racing. In particular, I'll be looking at providing world class facilities for the largest sale motorcycle events in Australia. The MotoGP and World Super Bike Championship.

 

 These events are only held ONCE a year. They attract a TV audience of over 350 million people, with a further 500, 000 people traveling from around the globe to Victoria to watch the events.

These events are colourful and exciting. 

Its important to note that these events happen only once a year, meaning that spectators, racing and staff spend months or even all year preparing for the races. 

" only 29 more sleeps till the island"

 

Spectators love their sport, they have a passion for it. The smells of fumes, rubber, fuel, the noise of engines either screaming or thumping around the track, and seeing how fast these bikes can travel in the flesh all make up the experience.

As architects when presented with grand vistas, we tend to break it down into smaller elements. We provide frames in which smaller portions can be seen in isolation. 

The concept behind this project is one that intents to remove senses that are associated with motor sport and increase the levels of anticipation felt by spectators for their event.

When spectators arrive at the gates, they can see onto the race track. There is no surprise to see what bikes are racing, or who is coming first.

All this can be seen from the entrance gates.

 

 A further problem with how the facilities are currently organised is that the focus is on the straight. Little views are given to those within the facilities to the rest of the track, apart from those that are provided on TV that are dotted through out the building. 

The Museum, filled with race cars and bikes is separated from the track. VIP's have no view to the wider circuit. 

What advance does being above Pit Lane hold? 

Getting a birds eye view of one small portion of the entire spectacle that is Pit Lane doesn't seem like my idea of a VIP view.

By reworking the basic construction of how these pit lanes facilities are designed, we can provide better views to a wider landscape. Reconnection of the museum back to the race track and provide greater appreciation for the entire event.

  Currently the first glimpse of the race track occurs when you approach the entrance gates located near the access road. 

I plan to remove this view and have done so by the installation of objects. 

This object will offer you only one path, one that you will be uncertain of, but still a path to your event. 

Your race. 

 Without these objects on the landscape the view is unframed. Nothing is highlighted. The rider has no more significance than the background.

 

My object will provide small framed sections of the view as you enter. Not allowing them to see the entire track, or event until they have completely arrived.

Spectators will hear the bikes from the other side, but will be unable to witness it.

This frame will be achieved by the use of deep slits that will offer a teasing view.

The speed on the riders will blur this image into something that is unrecognisable

As you continue down the corridor, the slits get closer together, offering more sight, A reflection of the increasing excitement the users feels as they get closer. By now, you are as close to the track as you can be the track is on the other side of the wall, you can hear the crowd above, you can feel the vibrations. Think of sitting inside Leiberskins Holocaust Musuem and hearing people outside having a party that you cant get too. 

 Its at this point that you are forced to turn away from the track and walk in the opposite direction. 

The notion of confusion and disappointment.

Did you come down the right path, you were so close before?

 

 As you enter deeper into the heart of the building you cant see or hear as much of the racing. Until you start to climb up back towards the track.

 

I’ve started to implement the Principles of a Whispering Room here, the shaped panels gather and direct sound onto one spot. 

 

This entry. 

A deafening roar of racing is your welcoming note. Its here, at this elevated landing that you are presented with a view of the entire track.

  

The Eastern side of the building is sounds, the entrance. The western is sight. In between are the museums each offering a varying degrees of sight and sound. The history of motor sport museum and classic car collection will have noise from outside, but only at a minimal. Sight to outside will also be minimal. Isolating the element, the bike or car, from track, without completely removing it.

 

The World Super Bike Museum will be silent, You will be able to watch the bikes go past, but the associated noise has been removed giving this live event a mute button.

 

Appreciation of sound is what I've given the user. 

Within stadium design a problem exists when a large number of people crowd the front rows. People towards the middle of the room can no longer see.

 

So by tilting this portion of the room down towards the track you can gain not only better views of the straight but also better views out into the landscape beyond.

The final part of Racing is the Podium Finish. 

This design will elevate and present the winners to the crowd gathered within the building. I’ve created a space in which people muster, both on track, inside, outside and under as their champions are presented to them within an outstretched hand, an offering. 

This podium is located on the sight portion of my building along side the most important thing to see at a track. The finish line.

Schematic Teaser

The progress a user makes as they enter my building. A building of anticipation of the event. To only reveal what I want them to see. To let them hear only when I allow it.
To cover, protect and suspend the activities until it is finally revealed to them.

This is the entrance.......This is the journey.

First Renders

OK.....
So here's the first few renders of my building.

The 'C' shaped building will be the race control, media, medical with the area closest too the spectators being the podium, suspended above the track.

The grandstands are staggered to break the building into undefined forms, refer to the images in older posts regarding blurring from speed.
The entrances in the museum and viewing galleries below are taken from an overlay of the curves onto the building then defined by the lean angle a bike would be on in that corner.

The VIP facilities above the spectators has a large sloped window to give ultimate viewing of the entire track and pit facilities.

The grandstands are broken up to allow for large outdoor areas were spectators can gather, also other activites can occur in these space like product displays and functions.

Entrance Sketch

I've been a little concerned about how my building looks from the public roads and a little further away from the site.
I drew this up today to just see how it works, I'm really liking the blurring effect,  see previous posts. The materials for the roof structure will be timber or various sizes which will help with the distortion and sense of speed for the user. It will be glassed in at both ends to help provide warmth in winter and reduce the effects of the strong winds, blown in from Bass Strait.

I can envisage a ramped grass entrance into the main grandstand and VIP facilities with sections removed to gain entrance into the museum below.

So here's a quick sketch to show you how I see it.

Section Design

So working on the theory the by raising the track to sit on top of the Pit Garages and by moving the VIP facilities to sit above the spectators here's a few ideas for how this could look in section.

 Section 1 shows the relationship between the gallery / entrance space under the curved roof and the spectators and VIP facilities above. The curved roof was formed from an analysis of the front fairings on motorcycles and how this related to the curved form of the fuel tank. The landscape can be treated in a way as too allow for direct connect with the museum, see the sketch below.

Under the grandstand would contain the other facilities that are required during larger events, like cafes, bars, stalls and shops and toilets.

Section 2 shows how the light well / slash roof support can be used to draw light down into the museum space below, highlighing naturally the cars or bikes on display. This section also shows just how close the Pit Lane now is to the Spectator in the museum and the grandstand, and clearly shows how the VIP will gain a views that are currently not available on the site.