R u t h R o b j o h n s: 'EDEN'

A GARDEN FOR ADAM,

EMULATION OF SELF AND WITH A COMPASSIONATE HAND, TO OTHERS......... CLIENT; AN ELDERLY RETIRED SALVATION ARMY VOLUNTEER JONAH SOUGHT A PLACE OF WHICH HIS SOCIAL ACTIVITIES COULD CONTINUE WITHIN A MORE DISCREET LOCATION. THOUGH A RESIDENCE, THE ‘EDEN ’ IS A PLACE THAT CREATES A GARDEN FOR ADAM (AFTER BIBLICAL TALES AND MICHAELANGELO‘S ‘CREATION OF ADAM’ ). IT IS A REPRESENTATION OF A CELESTIAL PROLOGUE TO A NEW LIFE.

THE ENTWINDED WOOL LIKE MANE WITHIN A HISTORICALLY INDUSTRIAL SITE IS A TECHNIQUE FOR COLLARBORATION AND A POINT OF IMPENDING CONTACT BETWEEN TWO ENTITIES. THE CORE A SPROUT FROM WHICH THE LIVING SPACES STEP OUTWARDS. IT’S TOWER OF REVEALED SECRETS CREATES MOVEMENT OF THE FIVE SENSES. TO BE SEEMINGLY ENCOMPASSED WITHIN A BUBBLE OF WATER IN THE PRIVATE AREA OF THE BEDROOM, IS TO EXPERIENCE AN EVENT IN NEW THOUGHT. THE ‘EDEN ’ ALLOWS AN INTERACTION WITH A TROJAN-LIKE WATER FORM. DERIVED LARGELY FROM THE HISTORICAL INFLUENCES OF THIS REGION AND IT‘S PREVIOUS TIES TO WOOL EXPORTS AT PORT ADELAIDE DOCKS. IT USES INFLUENCES FROM PREVIOUS CONCEPTS SUCH AS SHIFTING LANDSCAPE TO BIRTH WALLS OUT FROM IT’S CORE, FURTHERMORE DROPPING AWAY AT POINTS TO CREATE A FEELING OF WEIGHTLESSNESS. THE LOUNGE BECOMES A CENTRIFUGE OF ACTIVITY. ORGANIC SHAPES CONNECTING AND COMMUNICATING OVER THE SITE AND INTERTWINING IN PART TO PROVIDE STRUCTURE. THE ROOF IS FENESTRATED TO ALLOW THE WOVEN FORMS TO INTERACT WITHIN AND TO LIGHT THE LOUNGE INDIRECTLY, CREATING A CALM AMBIENCE. THE SITE IS ALSO MOONLIT LIKE POMPEII WITH THE CRUSHED QUARTZ WHICH GLOWS AT NIGHT DUE TO ITS NATURAL REFRACTIVE QUALITIES.

‘EDEN’ IS A REPRESENTATION OF THE SIMPLE AND YET SENTENTIOUS IDEALS JONAH WOULD VALUE. ITS RAW CEDAR TIMBERS (NATURALLY INSECT REPELLING), RAMMED EARTHAND TRANSPARENT FIRED SANDS ARE THE BASIS OF WHICH SENSES COME NATURALLY. LIKEWISE THE FUSION OF ORGANIC AND SOLID FORMS SEEM EARTHLY AND YET THERE IS A DISTINCT ENDEAVOUR TO FACILITATE A WATER TREATMENT INDUSTRY. THE INTERNAL SPACE OF THE KITCHEN HAS A POROUS FLOOR FOR THE PETITE GREEN HOUSE WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE FURTHEST NORTH POINT. THE OPPOSITE END OF THE KITCHEN RECYCLES GRAY WATER, REFRIDGERATES WITHIN THE LOWER CUPBOARD (COOLER) AREAS AND LINKS VISUALLY WITH THE NEIGHBOUR. IT IS THE SECOND TECHNOLOGICAL ‘HUB’ OF THE RESIDENCE, THE PRIOR BEING THE BEDROOM ROOF.

STRUCTURE- THE FUNNEL IS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE USE OF PVC SPHERE’S INSIDE A PVC MESH, IN A HONEYCOMB PATTERN. IT ALLOWS THE FORM TO HOLD ITSELF UP- SIMILAR TO HOW BUBBLEDECK IS USED IN CONCRETE FLOORING TO CREATE LESS WEIGHT. THE BEDROOM WALLS UTILISE RAMMED EARTH AND ARE EXPOSED IN SOME AREAS TO LINK TO THE OUTSIDE. THE CORE HAS PRECAST CONCRETE SHEAR WALLS WITH A STEEL STAIRWELL WINDING INTO THE LOUNGE.

ZONING- THE NORTH-WEST EXTERIOR OF ‘EDEN’ GAINS FULL SUN DURING WINTER AFTERNOONS AND MAJORITY OF FULL SHADE DURING SUMMER DUE TO SHIFTING SUN ANGLES. THE REAR SUNKEN AREA RECEIVES MORNING LIGHT BUT EXCLUDES HOT AFTERNOON SOLAR RADIATION AND ENTICES OURDOOR LIVING. THE FRONT ENTRY THROUGH THE LOUNGE TO THE RETREAT AT THE BACK ARE ALL AREAS OF CONTINUOUS ACTIVITY. THEY FLUCTUATE WITH TEMPERATURE THROUGH DIFFERENT ENVELOPING OF HABITATS. THE STUDY AND LOUNGE ARE PUBLIC AND OPEN TO EACH OTHER FOR CROSS USE, USING INDIRECT LIGHT AND WARMER TEMPERATURES. THE STUDY AND LOWER BEDROOMS ARE SEPARATED TO PROVIDE PRIVACY WITHIN EARSHOT OF THE PUBLIC AREA. THEY ALL ARE CONSTANT TEMPERATE AREAS WITH LESS COOLING THROUGH CIRCULATION.