Individual Project One Statement

To begin with, I am working in the group 5 for architecture fiction project. The members of this group are me (Alvin Tanzil), Thomas Langton, Arabella Lapitan, and Dwina Marcella Sugianto Lie.

Discussion

In my opinion, my group is very critical when discussing an issue. Each member gives their own opinion while hears other member idea. Every discussion that I have with this group is always giving me new fresh ideas, and new issues to discuss in our next meeting. Since me & Dwina are from Indonesia and Thomas & Arabella are from Australia, We always have our opinion base on our culture, therefore every discussion always has interesting argument and idea that occur.

Communication

In term of communication, everyone is very easy to reach. We usually communicate through mobile phone, email, and video call. However, my group prefer to meet in person and discuss the project together than discussing it virtually. In our opinion, it is more effective to meet and do the work together rather than making it individually (if we struggle with an issue, it is better to discuss it in group than thinking it alone).

Cooperation

While doing this project, my group always prepare an issue before we meet. This helps my group discussion and helps the development of the project. After each meeting, we always have homework for everyone (we divide the workload evenly). Furthermore, every member of the group will do the research in home and back with issues that we will discuss in the next meeting.

Contribution

Every member is good with research and reasoning of problems that occur during the process. Furthermore, the workload in my group distributes evenly so everyone will be busy by their own homework. However, every member of the group has their own skill that they are very good at and not good at. We try to understand each other problem and make up each other flaw. Therefore, we can cooperate smoothly and manage to finish the project early.

Overall, I am very satisfied with my group coordination and enjoy every process that we have been through in order to finish the first project. Thank you everyone.

Architecture Possibility

In this process, we want to decide which part is the most interesting part to develop. However, our group has their own opinion; therefore we decide to develop each architecture possibility which suit us the best.

The one that I take most of my intention is the education part. In my opinion without proper education about history and sustainability, the future generation will lose their direction. Furthermore, I try to observe education system in the present. Nowadays, student just force to learn what the teacher told them. Moreover, how teachers teach student is by reading from book and force the student to understand the knowledge. This issue sometimes will make student lost interest in the knowledge and stop studying. Furthermore, I try to compare the way teacher teach student in the high school and in the kindergarten. I was wondering “why I have much fun to study while in kindergarten then in high school”. After several observation, I found that children in kindergarten is taught by make them experience the knowledge and not only read from text book. This research is giving me an idea of implementing the same studying system to adult.  Therefore, I try to mix virtual reality and study which giving me the idea to make a capsule library.

    

The aims of this new technology are:

- Experiencing knowledge in Person

- Attract people to learn more

- Interesting ways in Exploring Knowledge

- Teach people to implement the knowledge to their lifestyle based on the experience they got

- Let people have more concentration wile study

- Experiencing the consequences of their action

- Define a new meaning in study

This is my idea of the education system in the future.

People and Lifestyle

The self sufficient community which we designed will be focused in 9 factors which are: Transportation, Education, Healthcare, Shelter, Community, Environment, Waste Disposal, Production, and Energy. We found that these 9 factors are the main issue which will make a community self sufficient. We make the 9 factors integrates with the pattern that we already made before and produce this diagram.

As the pattern before, we will have the community in the centre of the area and other district surrounding it. All of the place will be connected through a public infrastructure system. Furthermore, we discuss these 9 factors further which will shape the lifestyle of the community. And the result are:

Production

Food production is a vital resource for the needs of communal areas; therefore each community hub will be responsible for their own. The distribution of food among the communities allows each community hub to become responsible for the growing and management of particular foods. For e.g. one community may grow mint for their type of herb whilst the other community may not but grows and produces coriander instead etc.  This is determined by the climatic condition of each individual community. In addition, this will help promote the “sharing concept” as well as minimising waste.  Foods will be distributed among the communities using the transport system without the need of trucks which pollute our environment.  There are also architectural possibilities relating to farming which will enhance production.

Power

A wind and solar turbine device integrated into one system will be used as a method to produce unlimited energy without consuming any resources. It consists of eight wings that spin to produce wind making energy and photovoltaic modules that can store solar power during the daytime. The device is made of lightweight aluminium in a spherical-like form without the need to directly face the suns position. The unique device is capable to be positioned almost anywhere such as in an urban streetscape.  Our future community is envisioned to use power devices like these and focuses on only using renewable energy systems. This device is implemented into the urban streetscape and people within the community go about everyday activities and tasks without this having negative impacts.

Education

 Since sustainability becomes an important issue in the future, scientist and software developer try to re-create a new way in studying it. Furthermore, they realized that study was not only about reading and understanding the text books but also implementing it in the real life. Moreover, scientists discover that by implementing senses to the knowledge will effectively influence people in understanding knowledge. Therefore, they invent the capsule library. Through this gadget, people not only will learn but also experience the knowledge by themselves. Furthermore, this machine involves the user as one character of the story. Furthermore, software developer will creatively convert the knowledge from the book to the “virtual reality” knowledge which will involve the user as one of the certain character of the knowledge. By working together, scientists and software developers can redefine a new system of study.

Waste Management

Consuming less is the most fundamental step in moving towards a more sustainable society.  Research studies have shown that although recycling is an effective way to manage waste materials, minimising the creation of waste is the most sustainable option. Furthermore, studies shows that it is more time and cost effective to deal with the causes of waste once it has already been produced. Therefore each community will focus in the practice of waste minimisation by reducing the amount of waste we create in the first place and not using a material eg: no more packaging, using less material e.g. bulk buying, or using less disposable materials e.g. using washable re-usable nappies and re-usable shopping bags/packaging.  This strategy aims to strengthen waste minimisation. The idea is to promote the utilisation of reusable packaging and to avoid the use of product packaging.  This waste management technique is so ingrained into people’s lifestyles in the future, that it becomes a custom and is not noticed as an inconvenience.

Transport

People in our “United World” Scenario, live in a world where there are no forms of private transportation (cars) and therefore need to rely on a sophisticated and fully integrated public transport system.  This system is fully automated allowing for a high level access and accessibility.  As this is the only major form of transportation in the community, there is a huge reduction in congestion and pollution with is evident in today’s society.  It is envisaged that the transportation system works on a rail style network.

Community

The central community hub is a key and crucial element to the realisation of a Woodford style community, and therefore our “United World” scenario.  The community hub brings together all the elements of the individual communities together and forms the social interaction point.  This is based on the Woodford Folk Festival (WFF) which has been held on the Woodford site.  The WFF promotes the concept of idea sharing and further development of crucial world and environmental issues and this is the foundation of the community centre and plan.  The community hub will act as an aid for interaction, discussion and development and people’s lifestyles will become one that embraces these notions.  The question is always being asked, HOW CAN WE DO THIS BETTER?

Healthcare

Healthcare in the “United World” will be highly based on new technological advancements.  Each individual community will have the technology and resources for basic medical care, with some of the communities specialising in specialist form of healthcare and medicine.  Healthcare may take on a different notion then in today’s society, for example cures will have been found for some medical conditions and the research and development could be more focused on maintaining health and the integration of procedures and medication that may seem extraordinary today, into everyday life.

Environment

Environmental issues and the way in which people interact with it will not have the same stigma attached to it, as seen in today’s society.  Environmental features are not just added to objects and buildings but incorporated in them from the start; it is a way of life.  The environment both natural and built is respected by the people and not only allows great functional processes but also is aesthetically pleasing and usable.  The environment is an important aspect of the future scenario, as this supports our way of life.  There is a careful and well planed balance of natural and built.

Shelter

People who don't have shelter are houseless - not homeless! Homelessness has nothing to do with a lack of shelter. Define Homeless: 'An inadequate experience of connectedness with family and or community,' (Dominic Mapstone). Homelessness is about a lack of connectedness. Belonging somewhere is about belonging with other people. Like belonging to a family or local community.

The largest social demographic in first world countries that experiences homelessness are actually elderly people who are houseful. Quite often their spouse has died and their children live at a distance. They feel the same loneliness and abandonment as the person living on the street. Therefore, to achieve good living condition we should live in the community who have a strong sense of community and sharing, in this case architecture solution can be a good possibility to help improve the sense of community and sharing.

Pattern of the Community

In order to be self sufficient, there are several needs which must be fulfilled, and we argue about the how the system will work. We argue whether each need must be produced in one place or separate place. After further discussion in our group, we decide that the best is to separate each district in order to maximize the efficiency of the system in the community. Therefore we come up with this diagram:

As shown in the diagram production and shelter will be separated into each district and in the centre will be the community place. The purpose of this pattern is to encourage the community activities and make the community places accessible from all districts. By doing this, the social life in the community will be increased and the infrastructure will be effectively linked.

After a self sustain community (Woodford) achieved, this community will become an exemplar and other community will duplicate the system of the community furthermore, a new self sustain community will be built.

Since every place has its own specialities and resources, therefore each community will have their own specialty and trade them with other community. In the end, if every self sustain community gather it will create a self sustain community nation and so on. Therefore, we envision that the world will become a sustainable world which has independent communities.

Sustainable Future

After getting the future scenario, we try to design the meaning of self sustain community. To begin with, we try to envision a sustainable world aftermath the World War 3. As result of the war, in the future culture will be mix and race will no longer become an issue. Everyone will learn from their mistake and help each other. Furthermore, there will no oil dependence in order to fulfil their energy need. Moreover, they also will care about nature and start to repair the damage that they made. Therefore, the issue which will be a concern in the future community is technological advancements and socio – cultural. This issue will make a new system in the community and affect several factors in that community lifestyle, which are: virtual, economy, social, and environment. This diagram bellow will represent our idea:

This diagram will become our main idea in creating the lifestyle inside the community.

Scenario Research

As we try to begin our research, we try to give each person freedom to research the possible future scenario. I try to start my research by trying to think about the past event which causing peoples a major catastrophe. Moreover, I found out that the global event that causing a fatal damage in the human history is the world war. Therefore, I try to research World War 1 and World War 2 and create theses diagrams:

The trigger of this event is Austria who considers themselves as a superior country and they tried to give independence to the Bosnia (which is owned by Russia). Furthermore, this event keep escalating and causing other countries to take part. However, the war stops since both sides realize that there are too many casualties and create a Versailles treaty (Peace treaty) which forces German to pay war fees.

The Second World War was started because of German do not like that they are forced to pay the war fees and have confidence that they can become a superior country which can conquer world. Furthermore, Japan also constrained by crisis which caused by the Industrial Revolution and causing inflation in their currency. Therefore, both country starts to expand their territory and declaring war to the world. However, the war ended by the defeat of German by Moscow and Nuclear Bomb which destroyed Japan.

After the research I found a several factors those causing wars, which are Greed, Resources Problem, Nationalist, and Territory Problem. Furthermore, I tried to link all of these factors to the present issues.

The diagram show the possibility of near future war since the symptoms of each factor already occurred. Therefore, I predict that within 50 to 100 years from now world war 3 will happen as shown in the diagram below:

My prediction of world war 3 is that the world will be split into two large blocks and there are only few who neutral. The cause of the war will be all of the factors (Greed, Resources Problem, Territory Problem, and Nationalist). The war will not only cause many casualties but also drained all of the resources especially oil. Furthermore, the war will end as soon as both blocks realized that the casualties of the war is too many and they don`t have any resources which will be made as weapon.

In the end the government and economy of the world will collapse and there will be no boundary of each country. The world before which divided into countries will become one in the end. There will be no country and everyone will start from small community.

Picture Taken From:  http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120201061924/althistory/images/a/a2/B-384157-group_of_people-1-.jpg

Therefore, people will only think to survive and to do that they will need each other. Furthermore, this will be the start of a new system of community.

Future Scenario (Group Brainstorming)

On our first meeting, we try to discuss the possible future scenario. In order to create this scenario, we try to understand the meaning of the self sufficient community. We try to ask ourselves what, why, when, and how this community formed.

What does self sufficient community means? 

To be a self sufficient means the community needs no help from other community in order to survive. The community can fulfill they own needs and manage the civilian inside that community. This self sufficient becomes important to other communities too, since if the community already self sufficient, they can help other community to achieve their self sufficient community.  

(picture taken from: http://www.grassrootsy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/self_sufficient.gif)

Why do people need self sufficient community?

Self sufficient community becomes important in order to make a community independent. Therefore in time of danger, this community can survive by themselves and help other community who needed help. Furthermore, by creating a self sufficient community will also teach people the true meaning of sharing.

(picture taken from: http://www.artofdharma.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/givingredclothheart.jpg)

When does self sufficient community needed?

Our group start to think about several events that can force a group of people secluded themselves and working together in order to survive. These events can be a natural disaster, an outbreak or even a war. Therefore, we decide to do more research in this part. However, we will keep in mind the event must be forcing people to have self sufficient community.(picture taken from: http://do-while.com/img/life/scariest-and-most-secluded-houses/scariest-and-most-secluded-houses01.jpg)

How the self sufficient community formed?

To begin with, after the occurrence of the event, several people will group and try to survive together and create a community. They will limit themselves and each group will specialized in several jobs in order to fulfil all of the community`s need. Since, there will be no exchange currency in this time of crisis, people will learn sharing by exchanging their goods with other goods that they need or even service. 

(picture taken from: http://cdn.thenextweb.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2010/11/2010-11-09-work-together-600-x-500.jpg)

To conclude, in our first meeting we find a direction on how to develop the future scenario and we will research for possibility of future events.

Tutorial 1 - Group Brainstorming

In our first tutorial, we discussed the 4 themes which given to us and try to relate all of the theme into the "what if" scenario.

1. The first theme that we discussed was virtual, with the scenario "What if Queensland Government’s key strategy were to resolve Urban, Suburban and Regional issues Virtually?"

In this discussion we found out that virtual means something that is not physical and sometimes it is even not visible. The virtual theme will relate more to the communication, and experiences. The more it connects you with other people and the more you gain experiences from it will enhance the virtual meaning from a stuff or building. Furthermore, there are still many pros and cons towards this issue, since on one side it will make your like easy but will effect your health and social level within community.

2. Furthermore, we discussed the suburban theme and relate it with the scenario "What if all retail stores in Paddington Central stopped selling goods in favour of online stores, but decided to keep physical presence for customer experiences?"

To begin with, we discovered that this topic is related with the virtual topic. This eventually change the lifestyle of people and will decrease the social activity within a community. However it also has a positive point which the retail shop will be abandoned and converted to public service buildings.

3. Moreover, we try to discuss the regional theme with its scenario "What if Woodford Folk Festival site were to become a self-sufficient community that was to be managed and operated self-sufficiently?"

In this discussion, we talked about how the self-sufficient issue will be achieved and successfully work. In the end of the discussion we find a diagram which actually relates "Resources", "Shelter", and "Energy". In order to achieve a self-sufficient community we need to execute this system. For instance, "Shelter" will become a storage for "Resources" in order to keep the surplus of it, "Resources" will produce "Energy" (not only electricity but also energy for human), and "Energy" will create "Shelter". 

4. Then we try to move our discussion to Urban topics which has a scenario "What if Brisbane City Council decided to introduce London style Congestion Charge to CBD in 2020 to heavily reduce traffic congestion in the area?" 

In the "urban topic" discussion, we found out that by creating this rule, it will only move the traffic around the CBD. In the end it will create more traffic outside the CBD. However, this system will work if the government improve the public transportation service. Furthermore, this rule will also create more space for pedestrian and other public service building to be build rather than build more parking space in the CBD.

In the end of the brain storming process, we discovered that If the Suburban scenario is combined with the Virtual Scenario people lifestyle will change to a negative state. People will be lazy to go out in order to find the item they need, which also will decrease their social interaction towards their community. On the other hand The Urban topic is also related to the Suburban topic, since both of the scenario will create abandon spaces. This will have a good effect towards the community since it will encourage government to build more public service building such as, green area, hospital, or religious places.

World of the Future

In 20XX. The fossil fuel which act as the main energy resource on the earth will run dry, and humanity will devote themselves in researching and developing solar energy system as their source of energy. After a long time research, scientist find an effective way in gaining solar energy.

Taken from:
 http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/Orbital_Elevator 

The idea is by making an orbital tower which will vertically reach out to the space and horizontally spread it`s solar panel. In order to create this gigantic tower which will provides the world energy needs, a large amount of materials are needed. Therefore, there will be only 3 tower which will be built across the earth. This condition will have a major effect to the countries near these 3 orbital towers. Due to the "energy sharing" policy, several countries will unite and create an association. 

Taken from:

  http://alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=168696 

As result the world will divided into 3 blocks. Each country which join one of these blocks will have their cultural, political, economy and lifestyle affected since some countries will merge and create a new country. In the merging process some of the country will have a war and some of them willingly surrender for the good of their people.

As one of the civilian and architect of this era, it becomes important to influence other people not to rely too much on these 3 orbital towers as their energy sources and try to have a "self sustaining" and "sharing" habit. It is not only because of the advantages it provides but also the possible threat that will occur in the country (riot, or war).