Monday, August 9, 2010

Field Trip : Astherics, Ruins & Space



A grand mansion with 6 floor tower, wine cellar, stately columns.Moorish arches and wall with Greco-Roman designs. The Kellie's Castle was built in 1915. It reflect the pioneering spirit of the early colonialists and the romanticism of a bygone era. For my opinion, William Kellie Smith built this mansion is giving a gift for his wife and a home for his son. He desperately want a son for so many years. After so many years trying hard. Finally He got a son. As a gift from God, i think he want to built a castle for his son and also as a memorial for this moment.


Why was the mansion restored to its original state? Over the year, th sturdy castle appears to have weged batle against the undergrowth. Althought the creepers sprout from it exterior and gnarled tree roots fill the compound, the interiors is undamaged. But the original house of the Smith was destroy during WW2. The goverment want to keep the best moment of the building, so that they restored the building until that period that Smith dead but not completed the building. So every visitor who visit this building. They can have their own imagination to completed the building by themself.


There is few photo that show the beautiful and ugly of the building.
From the front of the building. The building looks like a bit eerie from the outlook. It a bit like ghost house if come at late night or evening time.
The long corridor is the famous part. They said Mr. William Smith shadow can found out from this corridor. For me this corridor is a beautiful scene. The corridor exudes a certain air of dignity and grandeur. It is a scene like all the wealthy people having tea time and chit chat in this corridor. Maybe there will be some romantic story happen start from this corridor too...
From the court yard look to the back of the building. I found out this scene. The sky had been seperate by the 3 trees....Above the trees is shiny sky but when u look down ...the sky become dark blue....And at the middle of the part there is a thunder shape of trees...all the leaves are gone. And only left a thunder shape brunch. It looks a bit scary. Imagine that if you look at it in the night, the moon just on top of the tree brunch....suddenly a black shadow of witch fly through with her broom.....
I consider it is a unpleasant view.
This is the roof top. On that day, there is a couple taking their bridal photo. You can see how the sky, human and the ground ( roof top ). It create a asthetice view and using the sense of vision, it create a nice scene.

From the roof top, i can see the view of the surrounding area with a wide angle. From my sense of vision, i can observe the surrouding changes and with the sense of hearing, i can feel the stream flow. And the wind blow on you face smoothly. With the sense of touch, you can feel the sign of decay of the castle.


From the view, it create a contrast of the building that restore and the building had been destroyed. The view is a little bit unpleasant but it also show the vicissitudes of the building. After 100 years the building still standing there.


From the arch, it looks like the Rome ancient period. I think Mr.Smith use it as the entrance of courtyard must be a reason there. When you walk pass through the arch, it brings you back to the roman time and for Kellie's Castle, you can back to the period of the construction period.



This is the sketch that i think for the completed Castle. The space that i choose is the courtyard of the building. Imagine that when that period there is no air conditioning provide. So the green roof and also good ventilation is needed. The courtyard is plant in greenery and provide pathway to connect to each of the block. At the centre of the courtyard, there will be a small garden and maybe a scultpure of Mr.Smith and his family. It become the gathering place for the family and also the event function.

The mansion had create a very grand, english style building that totally contrast with the surrouding area. With the courtyard, it create its own dignity garden and have a pleasant view inside the building. It create a harmony feeling that allow the son and daughter can run and play in the courtyard, the daddy chasing the son and mum preparing the tea...enjoying the happiness that her family brought her for......

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