Earthly Matter

This studio explores the potential of earthly matter (STONE, clay, mud, sand..) to influence wider character and organisation in the urban environment.

Students will work between scales: on the one hand investigating how extractive industries and the location of QUARRIES and claypits have helped form and organise the urban environment; on the other, exploring the architectural potential of stone and MASONRY construction to design details, construction systems and building typologies including using the emerging technologies of ROBOTIC CARVING and 3D PRINTING.

Students will develop a CRITICAL READING of the environmental, economic and spatial impact of extractive industries (MINING) on the urban environment and draw on this to propose a FUTURE SCENARIO for an extractive industry West Footscray in Melbourne. Students will plan the relationship of this new industry to the urban environment over time; design the materials, products and construction technologies which this industry would support; and envisage the formal and aesthetic impact on the character of buildings and infrastructure.

Earthly Matter, Futuristic Cityscape, Illustration/Digital Drawing

An illustration set in the year 2050, displaying the Megalithic in context. The megalithic is a 130m high tower and is one of six towers proposed along the Metro Tunnel and Suburban Rail Loop that will be used for both freight and passenger trains. The other towers are located in Werribee, Fawkner, Monash, North Melbourne and Domain. This building is simply made using excavated earthly matter from site and basalt waste. The tower is built in stages, starting with the factory that organizes the extracted matter and produces new components used to build the rest of the tower through casting and 3D printing.

Earthly Matter, Isometric view of Megalithic, Digital drawing

A display of the components created using excavated matter through casting and 3d printing. These components are brought together to create the Megalithic which is displayed on the State Library site. The Megalithic is built in stages which are demonstrated in the process diagram.

Earthly Matter, Interior view of Megalithic, Illustration

These views are of the four main stages of the Megalithic, Landfill, Education Centre, Factory and Train Station.

Earthly Matter, Section of Megalithic, Digital drawing

The section represents how earthly matter is processed and stored throughout the building. The diagram demonstrates how this excavated earthly matter is used using new technology and how the hazardous matter produce electricity that powers the new train.

Earthly Matter, Mapping of Freight Conditions, Digital drawing

An analysis of the existing extractions taking place for the Metro Tunnel looking at what type of earthly matter is being excavated and where it is going. Presenting a new train line based on the Suburban Rail Loop that connects existing basalt quarries and six sites that will be managing the excavated matter on site.