Architecture - Honours

HALL OF DEMOCRACY

Currently, democracy is not sustainable, inequitable, and places little value on community, enlightenment, and knowledge of history. The hall of democracy is a place where people can learn, reflect, and come together. The hall of democracy gives power back to the people.

The concept behind Novus Vox architectural presence is to mimic what many citizens believe democracy is. Many believe the system is working as it should and the building takes on this notion, looking to float seamlessly above the site with very little dominance in its context. However, a glimpse through the building one can see a fragmented blur of glass appearing to erupt from the ground, revealing that behind this pristine crystalline fabric, there is a fractured core that needs to be understood.

Thus in order for democracy to improve, trust, transparency and change must occur, through means of education and conversation within the hall

Chris Jenkinson

First project – novus nox

DEMOCRACY CANNOT SUCCEED UNLESS THOSE WHO EXPRESS THEIR CHOICE ARE PREPARED TO CHOOSE WISELY. THE REAL SAFEGUARD OF DEMOCRACY, THEREFORE, IS EDUCATION. ~ FRANKLIN D, ROOSEVELT

GROUND LEVEL VIEW |

THE STRUCTURE CONSISTS OF RED, BLUE AND GREEN PRISM PANELS FORMED IN A 3 POINT STAR. THE LIGHT ENTERING THE LUXFER PRIMS DOME ABOVE IS FORCED DOWN THROUGH A SERIES OF THESE JAGGED PANELS IN WHICH A KALEIDOSCOPIC EFFECT IS PRODUCED, BOUNCING DEEP INTO THE ATRIUM AND FILLING THE FLOORS WITH HUES OF THE RAINBOW ARCH.

THE CENTREPIECE NOT ONLY FUNCTIONS AS A POWERFUL DAYLIGHTING DEVICE BUT ALSO REPRESENTS THE FRACTURED DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM AND EXPOSES IT TO THE PUBLIC IN QUESTION. USERS CAN PASS THROUGH AT GROUND LEVEL ASWELL AS BRUSH BY IT AT LEVEL TWO ALONG AN ELEVATED WALKWAY GIVING A SENSE OF POWER TO ANYONE WHO COMES IN CONTACT.

UPPER LEVEL VIEW |

THE MONUMENTAL INSTALLATION OF SHATTERED GLASS PRISMS CAN BE VIEWED FROM GROUND LEVEL AS IF IT ERUPTED FROM THE EARTH BENEATH OR IF LOOKING FROM ABOVE, IT SEEMS TO GENTLY CASCADE DOWN FROM THE LUXFER DOME ABOVE.

PRESENTATION PANELS |

SECOND PROJECT – KINETIC LUXFER

ARCHITECTURAL INTENT

VALUING BOTH TRANSLUCENCY AND TRANSPARENCY THE KINETIC LUXFER IS ABLE TO HARNESS DAYLIGHT FOR A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS WITHIN THE BUILDING. THE UNIQUE CONCAVED DISPERSION LENS DRAWS DAYLIGHT INTO THE PRISM AND REFRACTS IT IN AN OUTWARD MOTION TOWARDS ONE OF THE 4 SIDES OF THE INTERNAL GLAZED PYRAMID BEFORE IT IS THEN REFRACTED DEEP INTO THE BUILDING IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS.

FUNCTIONALITY |

USING A LIQUID CRYSTAL LAYER AND CONDUCTIVE MEMBRANE WITHIN THE NEW LUXFER GLASS, THE EFFECT OF A FROSTED AND TRANSLUCENT LIGHT REFRACTS OFF THE INTERNAL CRYSTALLINE LAYER, CREATING A “OPAQUE FROSTED EFFECT”

HOWEVER, ONCE AN ELECTRIC CURRENT IS RUN THROUGH THE GLASS, THE CRYSTALLINE LAYER BECOMES MORE UNIFORM ALLOWING LIGHT TO MOVE THROUGH MORE FREELY WITHOUT REFRACTION, CREATING A CLEAR EFFECT. THUS THE SWITCH GLASS FUNCTIONALITY.

COMBINING THIS TECHNOLOGY WITH MODERN-DAY MOTION SENSORS ALLOWS FOR THE FACADE TO HAVE A KINETIC COMPONENT TO ITS DESIGN. THE PANELS ABILITY TO SWITCH BETWEEN CLEAR AND OPAQUE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT PUTS AN EMPHASIS ON THE NOTION OF ‘DOING THE RIGHT THING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS’. THIS ENSURES THE POLITICAL BEHAVIOR OF THESE REPRESENTATIVES IS KEPT TRANSPARENT AT ALL TIMES.

PRESENTATION PANELS |

THIRD PROJECT – DIADEM

PROJECT STATEMENT |

DIADEM IS A STATEMENT ON THE LOSS OF IDENTITY AND LIBERALITY OF AUSTRALIAN CITIZENS AND THE ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR EQUITY AND INCLUSIVITY. THROUGH ITS PRESENCE AND PURPOSEFUL CONSTRUCTION, DIADEM ATTEMPTS TO RAISE CURIOSITY, TO BE DOMINEERING YET WELCOMING, ACTING AS A TOOL OF PROPAGANDA. A QUESTIONABLE HIGHLY-FACETED, JEWELLED CROWN FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WILL DRAW PEOPLE TO DISCOVER ITS PURPOSE. THE HALL OF DEMOCRACY INTENDS AND WORKS TO GIVE BACK AND ENHANCE THE CITY AND ITS CITIZENS. A HINDERANCE TO ACTUALISING THE CONCEPT OF TRADITIONAL DEMOCRACY IS THAT AUSTRALIA HAS DEPARTED FROM THIS, TAKING ON AN ELITISM FORM AS OPPOSED TO EGALITARIAN. THE BUILDING IS A TOOL TO ENACT A SENSE OF CHANGE WITH PEOPLE’S UNDERLYING PERCEPTION OF DEMOCRACY.

DIADEM HALL OF DEMOCRACY WILL BE A PLACE WHERE THE PEOPLE OF QUEENSLAND CAN COME AND FORMULATE THIS NEW VISION FOR DEMOCRACY, VIEW THE REINVIGORATED DEMOCRACY IN ACTION, SEEK OUT AND INSTRUCT THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, DIRECT AND HAVE OVERSIGHT ON GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES, AND ENGAGE IN, AND FORMULATE, DEBATE AND DISCUSSION.

EXPLODED AXO |

DESIGN CONCEPT |

NIGHT VISUALS |

LANDSCAPING |

LUXFERS |

GEORGE ST SPEAKERS PODIUM |

TECHNICAL SECTIONS |

PRESENTATION PANELS |

RENDER GALLERY |

MODEL PHOTOS |

Chris Jenkinson

Chris is an honours student in architectural design at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane. While completing his degree, he also studied units within industrial design and construction management. He is fascinated by the visual creativity and technical details of the design process. Chris intends to continue his architectural journey through his master's degree commencing in 2022.