ATLAS HOTEL HOIAN is located in Hoi An’s “Old Town; an area which has rapidly grown since it was officially named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Recently, most of the ancient houses have been converted into shops and restaurants that serve the daily influx of tourism. The neighborhood is well known for its beautiful tiled-roofscape and its internal courtyards that provide a layered spatial quality between the inner and outer spaces. This quality has been slowly eroded due to chaotic commercial flow. As a consequence, Old Town has lost its charm of a calm and peaceful lifestyle.
Groundfloor plan
Located in an irregular plot of land, the design approach of Atlas Hotel is to turn this constrain into its unique character. The linear layout is divided into several internal courtyards, and by lifting the building above the site, it completely frees the ground floor to create an inter-connected network of courtyards. This spatial quality reflects the dynamism of the new Hoi An but also retains the charm of the Old Town.
The five story hotel includes 48 guest rooms as well as various leisure functions such as restaurant, café, rooftop bar, spa, gym and swimming pool. Due to the complexity of the site, each guest room is shorter and wider than typical hotel rooms. Rather than a problem, this presented an opportunity for the rooms to have greater access to greenery not only from the bedroom but also from the bathroom.
The building façade is clad with locally-sourced sandstone pieces used in combination with an exposed concrete slab and a series of planters along the corridors. The planters are arranged along the entire façade of the hotel not only provides solar shading but also allows cooler air to ventilate the spaces. In addition, the perforated stone walls admit daylight without blocking air flow. This scheme allows the place to be naturally ventilated to minimise the use of air conditioner. The use of these green and natural elements embodies the particular interest of the office and the House for Trees concept: to integrate greenery into design as a way to rejuvenate urban areas and to contribute to societal improvement. At its core, Atlas Hotel reconnects man with nature.
The idea of revitalizing a public space by bringing improvement that brings people together should not generate suspicion or fear. However, specific examples of places that have seen the cost of living greatly increase after their revitalization have been creating paradoxes. After all, does this “new villain” called gentrification have any relation to placemaking?
The answer, unfortunately, is yes. Although it’s not a direct relation of cause and effect, it is impossible to deny the tenuous line between the two concepts. By definition, gentrification, or “ennoblement,” refers to the social, cultural, and economic improvement of a neighborhood or, on a larger scale, of an entire region. Placemaking is the process of planning quality public spaces that contribute to the well-being of the local community. The concepts may be similar, but the methods and consequences of the two are very different.
The idea behind placemaking originated in the 1960s when writers like Jane Jacobs and William H. Whyte began to develop innovative ideas about creating cities that catered to people, focusing on the importance of inviting and living neighborhoods. The term gentrification was coined in 1964 by the British sociologist Ruth Glass to describe the flow of people of the middle class that displaced inhabitants of low class of urban districts. Glass illustrated gentrification by citing the example of the Islington neighborhood in north London where modest and old cottages were bought up and turned into elegant, expensive residences when their permits expired.
Today, it is this same process that turns gentrification into a villain. Residents are displaced when they can no longer pay for housing, utilities, school fees, and other services offered in the neighborhood due to the growing wealth of the area. The blurring between terms begins when investments in public spaces are likely to result in even greater potential investments for the area.
In this complex process, it is difficult to deny the relationship between the improvement or development of a public space and the consequent increase in the value of the surrounding land. However, the placemaking process is not a direct cause of gentrification. The difference lies in the factors that motivate the two processes.
Placemaking is no longer placemaking when it stops considering the opinion of those living and working in the area. Making decisions with the genuine contribution of the community and the recognition of their needs and wants is what defines the process. The transformations must start with the very community that uses the space. Gentrification is guided, with or without the influence of the government, by economic objectives, involved in the process of enhancement and devaluation of urban spaces over time. This can happen especially when upper-class districts can no longer sustain the number of inhabitants, who then look to settle elsewhere.
This process is widely debated in the US city of San Francisco. Urban Displacement, a University of Berkeley site, has developed a map showing the types of displacements in the region and indicates several areas in the advanced stage of gentrification. The relocation of various tech companies is commonly given as the culprit for the transformation of the city. The cost of housing and the large amount of a new class of workers has made neighborhoods like the Mission, famous for the presence of Latin American immigrants, enter a phase of transformations.
Luxury condominiums, organic ice cream stores, cafes that serve soy lattes, and chocolate shops that offer samples from Ecuador and Madagascar are rapidly replacing 99-cent stores, corner shops and rent controlled apartments in the Mission District , (San Francisco’s) working-class Latino neighborhood – writes The New York Times.
In São Paulo, the Minhocão Park project has been carefully studied due to fears that it will become another example of gentrification. The project, sanctioned in March by Mayor Fernando Haddad, aims to gradually transform an elevated highway that cuts through São Paulo’s city center into a recreational area. Currently, Minhocão is closed for almost 40 hours during the weekends. “We are concerned about gentrification in the area because we don’t want to drive anyone out,” said the mayor. To this end, Haddad said he would suggest to the sub-prefect of the area to create a Management Council made up of residents.
Although the phenomenon of gentrification is becoming common in large cities, local improvements shouldn’t be seen as threats. What the urban critic Matthew Yglesias calls “gentrificationphobia” can generate an excessive fear of progress and delay projects that communities need. Advances may increase the value of land, but don’t need to evict the inhabitants.
The way projects are run is what determines their results. Knowledge about gentrification and placemaking emphasizes the importance of creating spaces for all, spaces that connect areas, rather than dividing them. Neighborhoods need to be identifiable and maintain their natural qualities, things that have been developed over time. Avoiding gentrification keeps history from being erased.
Virtual 3D Modeling has for decades been increasing in its popularity, yet hand-made models are far from extinct. Perhaps a reason for this is that despite the “3D” in “3D modeling,” viewing those models on a screen or print is still, effectively, two-dimensional. A physical model of course can be held in your hand, examined and understood spatially in a way that a CAD model can’t. It can also be used as a quick and intuitive 3D sketch to get some ideas going. Whether it’s for a client or a professor, models are almost always necessary in order to produce a complete understanding of the relationship between spaces in your design. To make the most use of this tool, read on for tips on how to improve your modeling:
Having the right tools for building your model may not be everything when it comes to model making, but it sure will separate a good model from a great one. You don’t want to waste time trying to find a less-than-suitable substitute for a missing tool. However, listing all the essential tools calls for a post in itself; take a look at this one to get started.
When building a model you will always need to cut up some material or another in order to suit your needs, making this specific tool somewhat more important than many of the others (with the exception of glue perhaps – more on that later). Getting that clean edge adds another level of neatness; it may not be fully appreciated, but trust us, its absence is always noted. Get your hands on a good utility knife with a set of exchangeable blades; a blunt knife is often more dangerous than a sharp one. A good pair of sharp scissors comes in handy too, especially when you don’t want to spend hours making delicate cuts using a knife for a simple sketch model.
Although your model may not always be an exact miniature of a full-scale building, the materials you select to represent it are important. Firstly, you want your model to narrate something about your project; having carefully chosen materials, as opposed to a model entirely made of card, will help to immerse others in that narrative far more effectively. Secondly, you want to make sure that the materials you use are easy enough for you to work with; a model should supplement your project, not hijack all of your time.
It’s not uncommon to already have a CAD model on your computer, but it is uncommon, in such a situation, to have the motivation to recreate the entire thing by hand. In this case, laser cutting may be a favorable alternative. The trick with laser cutting is to set up your virtual model correctly, in order to make it possible to cut and piece together. It’s likely that you’ll be more restricted regarding your geometry, and tip 3 comes into play here too: unless you want to start a fire, the thickness of the material you use may be limited, and if you’re planning to use wood then you should have a plan to remove or cover up those freshly-burned edges. If you’re trying to get something very organic produced from a 3D model, 3D printing is probably the way to go.
Thinking spatially is a tricky thing, even for architects. Sketch models, especially flexible ones that aren’t permanently glued together, can be excellent tools in themselves when trying to figure out how to compose the finished model or overall architectural design. These models have the appeal of not needing to look so polished, nor do they take too much time to make.
Ensuring that your working environment is properly lit is essential in preventing your eyes from straining themselves, as well as enabling you to see the details in your model and avoid mistakes. Models can also result in beautiful photographs, but only if you have proper lighting set up.
Making enough space for yourself before beginning on a model is something your future self will thank you for. Model making can get messy and confusing very quickly if one doesn’t have a big enough or organized space. Setting up a trashcan, for example, for left over scraps, or having a cutting area separated from an assembly area, can make the experience much more pleasant and prevent you from losing your gumption.
As mentioned earlier, alongside cutting tools, getting your adhesives right is one of the most essential parts of model making. Nothing, nothing is worse than showing up with a model that is ready to fall apart at the slightest touch—except, perhaps, showing up with a model covered in drips and strings of glue. Here is an extensive list summarizing the best types of glue and tape for different types of models and materials. Bookmark it and use it wisely.
One source suggests washing your hands every 30 minutes, and while this may be a tad excessive for some, washing your hands more often than usual is probably a good thing, especially when working with a white material. The oil and dirt that begins to accumulate on your fingers may not be obvious to you until you see it on your completed model. By that point, it’ll be too late.
A model always represents a real building project, which always has a site or context; don’t forget the context! Having a solid base is so much better than having a model floating in thin air. Models require something to anchor them down and give them that final touch, or as one source calls it, the equivalent of a “picture frame.”
Scale can be a game changer. Not only will it determine the level of detail and space that can be seen, but also the amount of time you spend on your model—and contrary to popular belief, smaller isn’t always faster. Spending hours cutting meticulous, small elements using your X-Acto knife is something you’ll regret when you could just as well have chosen a larger scale and used scissors.
There will never be enough time or money to include everything in a model, so make sure you know what your model is aiming to communicate. Is it illustrating the essence of your project or concept, or is it showing a technical section of a wall? This will help you to cut out materials and time, including only what’s essential.
In certain cases, models are near-replicas of drawings, however in an ideal world they shouldn’t be. A model should enhance a set of drawings, showing another level of depth that drawings may not be able to communicate. Develop your project a step further in your model, in order to get the most out of your time and resources.
Before getting started on your model, write up a time plan to keep you on track for your deadline. This is to ensure that you show up with a model that can stand on its own and withstand the examination of others (in other words, a completed model) but also so that you don’t end up sacrificing too much of your time that should be allocated to other work. Be realistic with your time plan; as stated earlier, nothing is worse than a model ready to fall apart.
It’s difficult, if not impossible, to know everything about every material and tool that you may need to make you model. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice from friends or experts; “there’s no such thing as a stupid question,” or so the saying goes.
Make mistakes and learn from your experience. The more models you make, the better they will become. Writing down the difficulties you’ve had, and what you’ve learned in order to solve them, could be a valuable resource to have a few months down the road when you run into a similar problem on your next model. Practice makes perfect.
All images are courtesy of students at the Danish Royal Academy of Fine Arts.
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