The Making of Things

April 4, 2016: Perspectives

Making Of Things
Making Of Things

Architecture is about the making of things; an outcome of the head and hand, experiment and memory.

Guestroom door handle – sand is press formed to create a single use mould. A process repeated 150 times.
Guestroom door handle – sand is press formed to create a single use mould. A process repeated 150 times.

Too often, the actual process of making architecture is overlooked. This gallery seeks to illustrate the art of craft and assembly in making Novotel, Auckland Airport.

Two bespoke pieces are captured during the early stages of making; the lobby stair and guestroom door handle.

The skeletal framework of the stair, intricately crafted pieces that will never be seen once complete, yet vital to the structural integrity of this self supporting helix.
The skeletal framework of the stair, intricately crafted pieces that will never be seen once complete, yet vital to the structural integrity of this self supporting helix.
Molten aluminium poured at 1100degC into sand.
Molten aluminium poured at 1100degC into sand.
Hand drawn setout lines directly transposed from design drawings to material surface.
Hand drawn setout lines directly transposed from design drawings to material surface.
Discussion by drawing never stops throughout the process.
Discussion by drawing never stops throughout the process.
Moulds are ready to be destroyed to reveal the purpose of the endeavour in crafting the sand
Moulds are ready to be destroyed to reveal the purpose of the endeavour in crafting the sand
Once molten aluminium is now revealed formed in planar geometry. Work on the handle can now begin.
Once molten aluminium is now revealed formed in planar geometry. Work on the handle can now begin.
Parts will form the whole
Parts will form the whole
One ‘piece’ takes form within a broader context.
One ‘piece’ takes form within a broader context.