Niccolo Belloni, 346274 - RESEARCH REPORT COMPARRISON– ASSIGNMENT 3
Theme of my inquiry -
University of Witwatersrand’s Urban Framework Design Development Analysis in its Architectural Design Concepts and Strategies.
Buildings analysed and compared in research proposal:
School Of Construction Economics and Management Building, University of Witwatersrand by Michael Scholes and Associate Architects. (discussed in Assignment 1)
Wits Science Stadium, University of Witwatersrand by Savage and Dodd Architects in collaboration with Urban Solutions, Urban Design Framework proposed by Ludwig Hansen Architects & Urban Designers.
Following Assignment 1, I now analyse WSS and its design strategies that are used to achieve the objectives of the universities urban framework design development scheme and compare them to the strategies used in the design of the CEM building.
Key questions developed from urban framework document investigation-
What are the architectural design concepts and strategies incorporated in the respective buildings, which relate to the primary goal and the individual main objectives of the University of Witwatersrand established urban framework
Intended layout of the essay -
• Intro: Brief History into the urban framework of the University of Witwatersrand and its development.
• Discussion of problems acknowledged in existing urban framework
• Explain and discuss the new urban framework design scheme and how it aims to enrich the urban fabric and resolve existing problems in urban the urban framework.
• Discuss the primary goal and main objectives of the newly established urban design framework.
• Discuss the architecture concepts and design strategies used in the WSS Building which are similar in regards to the CEM building that responds to the primary goal and main objectives of the newly established urban design framework.
• Comparison of the individual building discussions with one another.
• Discussion of similarities and differences in the individual building design approaches.
• Conclude which successful design strategies were utilised to achieve main objectives of the urban design framework.

ARCHITECTURAL BANDAIDS FOR A HEALTHIER URBAN FRAMEWORK.
The birth of the University of Witwatersrand main campus was created in the construction of the great hall, the library and their associated buildings and spaces. These initial buildings that were erected in the campus are considered excellent in regards to urban framework structuring and design in how the architecture represents a feeling of great pride for the campus and the society engaged in the university. That feeling of pride has largely dissolved throughout the expansion of the university due to a number of design factors.
The main problem conceived in the existing urban framework of the university is that the structural and functional organization of the campuses has an inconsistent spatial logic. Some buildings were designed as isolated, individual objects and intermediate spaces between buildings were neglected in design. Another problem is the poor quality of some building designs in regards to architectural detailing which reflects a prevailing negative short-term philosophy resulting in the university not evoking a sense of being timeless.
Problems identified in existing urban framework have been noted by Piet Louw in his analysis. The problems noted are:
• Lack of structural and spatial clarity
• Frequently poor quality of public space, resulting from non-defined Space;
• Large amounts of ‘dead-edges’ and residual or left-over spaces, which constitute potentially dangerous places;
• Unfriendly environments for pedestrians;
• Poorly integrated campuses;
• Poor connection between the campuses and the city;
• Mismanaged and neglected natural features; and the spatial directions of the university should be complementary and synergistic.
Wits Science Stadium (WSS) and The Construction and Economics Building (CEM) was commissioned to accommodate the universities expansion of staff and students but also primarily to help heal the existing scars noted in the urban framework of the university. The urban framework plan created demands of new building designs to face the existing problems in the universities urban framework.
The brief calls for the articulation of a development and design framework. Implicit in this are a number of realizations about the nature of plan.
• The plan needs to be minimalist, not comprehensive.
• The primary elements of the plan should be the elements of public structure: green space, movement of all modes, shared public facilities (libraries, meeting places, sports facilities and recreation, performance and display spaces and so on), hard open space, housing and utility services. These need to be woven together into a coherent framework which creates logic of access, ranging from very public or exposed to very private.
Clear architectural design objectives have therefore been established which include designs to primarily
(1) Establish and define new and existing circulation routes which strengthen the urban fabric.
(2) Establish and define new and existing precincts that integrate with the rest of university to unify the university as a whole
(3) Promote the moto of wits being to strive for academic excellence
Following assignment 1 I now analyse the building design of Wits Science Stadium (W.S.S), its architectural design concepts and strategies that are shared with the newly constructed Construction, Economics and Management building (C.E.M), which relate to the primary goal and the individual main objectives of the University of Witwatersrand established urban framework
The approach taken by the architects was in the redevelopment of the former Skeen Stadium on West campus of the university. This new redevelopment is created to house a new precinct which will serve as the new hub of science for the university The Skeen Stadium originally formed part of the Rand Showground infrastructure which was inherited by the University in the course of its history. It has now been recalibrated into a state of the art science facility comprising of five Auditoria and seventeen Tutorial Rooms spread over two levels. A new building, adjacent to the Skeen redevelopment structure comprises of undergraduate laboratories for Chemistry, Physics and Biology which are linked to the auditoria through a ‘wedge’ link building which forms the vertical circulation knuckle between these two structures.
The integration of the old stadium into new teaching facilities was seen as a cost effective and environmentally responsible solution by not fully demolishing the existing structure and rather incorporating its existing structure to accommodate the new facilities required. The architectural design produced respects the geometric heritage of the old Skeen stadium and running track resulting in this new precinct being located on the north – south axis of the West Campus. The building design which incorporates the existing structure of the stadium shows a sign of respect in regards to the history of the urban framework of wits and its existing structures. The sense of evolution in the university is portrayed instead of recreation so as not to dissolve the history of the urban framework.
The newly developed WSS can be easily acknowledged when entering the university on the south entrance to west campus. One can clearly see the building labelled to inform users its purpose. A large entrance to the precinct has been designed on the south elevation with large concrete colonnades stretching over multiple storeys which clearly define a primary entry route into the precinct for users.
The circular exterior building edge was considered to organically facilitate pedestrian movement into the primary entrances to the precinct. The newly developed south entrance in conjunction with the north entrance staircase serves greatly in establishing an axis of mobility from north to south in not only the precinct but also the west campus as a whole. The newly established axis of circulation is lined with green space to promote pleasurable circulation throughout pedestrian routes. Green spaces have had their edges raised to provide comfortable leisure space.
The proportions of the interior circulation space created around the precinct have large clear spans to facilitate easy movement for the four hundred students and staff housed in the laboratory facilities. The building zones are defined in the design through the use of colour coding the individual zones facades. The architects used the colour green in the structure to display the zones representing circulation around the precinct. The colour Red is used in the service core of the building. The colour yellow is indicative for tutorial rooms and the colour blue for laboratory facilities. This simple design strategy makes it easy for people to read and understand the defend building zones and find their way around the precinct
The laboratory facilities are situated on a north-south orientation of the building bordered with large scale colonnades circulating the interior edge onto the public space feeding into the new auditoria buildings reception and connecting to the precincts central green courtyard. The architectural element of the colonnades in the building design results in there being a clear pedestrian circulation route around the interior of the precinct that defines the spatial edges of educational space, public space and leisure space. The public can see into the laboratories raising academic curiosity in the observer which promotes academia. A healthy connection between the interior educational spaces and exterior is established making the building engage with the outside public, giving off the sense of inclusivity throughout the campus. The view from the interior to the exterior is that of the central green courtyard of the precinct creating a pleasurable working environment for the students and staff.
I have concluded that the primary design strategies employed that fulfil the urban framework objectives in both cases are
1. The consolidation of building edge design with its context to create and define the individual precincts and facilitate and strengthen new and existing circulation axis’s on the campuses
2. The choice of facade materiality to connect and define public and private space
3. The use of transparency in design to create the sense of inclusivity throughout the university
4. The use of greenery in building design to help clarify hierarchies of movement
5. The strategic placement of building entries that further help define circulation routes and precinct identity whilst unifying the university as a whole These are the main design strategies utilised that fulfils the primary overall objective which is to complement and synergise the academic aspirations of the University of Witwatersrand, striving for academic excellence with the architectural and urban framework design of the university.