Final Design Proposal

This placement on the site was chosen so that the building would be between the two existing sheds, allowing a view across the river, and allow room to create an access point to the road but without being to close to the bridge (for noise reasons - also the trees on the bank grow more densely towards the bridge and this wouldn't work well with the design)

This shows a closer view of the building on the site as well as the access paths to the building. It also shows how the parkland will be redeveloped with more grassy area and trees

This diagrammatic section shows the space allocation within the building. The library levels are placed so they get the best views from the building (apart from the look out - but then thats all about views). This also shows how the building will be backed onto the rockwall of the site - once it has been reconditioned, it will provide the back wall for the building, with each level going in to it more as the slope goes up

This gives an impression of what the inside of the building will look like on the library levels. Take note of the pillars running through the interior of the building. These are information pillars. They connect between levels (bringing the building together spatially) and on the library level they connect to the learning "pods" where devices will be connected (whether it be the users own device like a laptop, or if it is one of the libraries own tablet pcs which will be available for use by anyone with a library account. In addition to this, lighting will be placed on these info pillars to enhance the user experience (both on the library levels and the entry/cafe level)

On the ground level there are two entry points: the main one on the front of the building and a secondary one (closer to the elevator) towards the right. There is a bar/cafe as you walk into the building, this joins through the facade to make a window for service without having to enter the building if you're in a rush or on your bike and you don't feel like chaining it up somewhere. This effectively creates like a little coffee pitstop. This view also shows how the pillars connect down from the building facade and become part of the surrounding area, creating an interesting experience as you walk through the parklands

This is the main library level and has access to the study areas which overlook the river through the facade. This is also where the data center will be - a place where you can digitally hire books from the library (maybe through file duration or something like that, depending on legal reasons) you can download then straight to your device or usb or also through the librarys wifi. The main study space has desks while the secondary one to the right has movable, more cushy kinda seats (think kind of like whats in level four of the uni library at gp)

This level has function rooms, which may be hired over the phone, online or through the librarys help desk on the 1st floor. The larger room on the left is where community classes (like yoga/fitness or arts/crafts) will be held, again bookings can be made in the same manor as for the function rooms. If the rooms aren't booked out, they can general use for anyone interested.

This level will have a few open plan offices for staff use

This level has a cinema/theater which will also hold screening events to encourage local productions, again showing the community focus. on this level there is also server and plant rooms, allowing easier road access for maintenance and keeping them away from the treat of flooding (mangrove metaphor). This level is also completely enclosed as natural lighting is not necessary

This level is the access point from the street level and doubles as a lookout over the river. You will also be able to look down and see the pillar formations of the building

This reference image shows how the spaces are laid out within the building. Also note how there are more openings in the facade on the lower levels

This gives a view of the entry level, showing the info pillars which have extended down from the upper levels and provide decorative lighting. You can also see the window in the facade behind the bar for cafe pitstop service. This level will feel very open, keeping with the mangrove metaphor of more spread space and minimal building mass on the lower level to protect from potential flooding, and also because it kind of feels like its part of the parklands, making the transition into the building more subtle

This shows what it would be like in part of the library. People sitting in the areas connected to the info pillars, the open vertical space, allowing a much clearer look through the facade, really bringing the user into the environment around them, but also providing a kind of "safe zone" but having a lower ceiling level towards the back of the building because of the mezzanine

A view of the building on the site and how it backs onto the rock wall behind, also showing some of the redeveloped parklands.

This gives a look into what the user might experience when approaching the building. The pillars integrate smoothly with the surrounding environment without feeling intrusive, while the building looks spacious and inviting to passers-by. The internal info pillars are visible from the outside, giving it a likeness to the pillars working their way into the parklands. This concept could be spread across the site, with pillars reaching from the rockwall over the pathway further up or down the site, making the approach to the building again more gradual

This is a view from the bridge of the building at night. The internal lighting contrasts with the form of the building to create an interesting view for people near the site

This view shows the building from the pathway, the pillars reaching out above the pedestrians, the internal view of the building slightly visible, inviting you in for a closer look

The data center will be here next to the reception desk as you enter the 1st floor from the elevator

This image shows the view from inside the library at the study area. You can look up and see the levels above, at the higher point the ceiling slopes to join with the facade. Info pillars connect to the ceiling and different levels of the library, following a gentle curve, contrasting somewhat of the pillars on the facade

This is another internal view, this time showing a higher view of the same space in different lighting conditions (more similar to daylight). Interesting shadows are cast by the light entering the building and the user becomes more aware of the space around them and how the spaces are interconnected

This view is just to give a better impression of the distribution for the info pillars and how the spaces are all connected, with the largest open area being that in the study area of the library. The building backs onto the rockwall, supporting the different levels (with help from the facade pillars), you can see spaces in the model where the wall will be visible

This view gives an impression of what the user might experience looking down from the street-level lookout at night. You can see the light from inside the building hitting the pillars below and creating an intense reflection on the rivers surface. There aren't many other large buildings directly near this library, so at night there won't be much else light cast upon the river, making the effect all the more powerful

This is a final montage of images of the building/model

Week 13 - Design Development

This week I have put together my floor plans, I'll redraw them soon, but for now I have my spaces sorted out. Red arrows indicate navigation around each level, blue lines indicate where the canopy goes.

 Ground Floor: 2 access points to building, leads to elevator, cafe, seating, garden area, cafe pit-stop (from window), kitchen (for cafe)

1st Floor: elevator access, leads to reception/help desk (storage room behind reception), display area near elevator/reception, data center (digital downloads), open study space and leads to more private study areas (still open, but some partitioning), stairs to mezzanine/lvl2, bathrooms, storage/maintenance closet.

2nd Floor/Mezzanine: stair/elevator access, function room and lounge area, office area

3rd Floor and diagrammatic section: the 3rd floor will have a small cinema as well as the plant room and room for library data servers (these will be on opposite side of cinema to minimize noise pollution, keeping these on top level will make maintenance easier because of road access and will keep some of the most expensive equipment away from potential flood damage).
Blue shows ground level; yellow shows level 1/library main area - note the way the pillars come down and are visible from both level 1 & 2; orange shows level 2/mezzanine and its view through the pillars; purple shows the cinema level - the shape of the ceiling below helps to shape the seating area; pink shows the roof access level - this has a lookout and roof garden and access to the building core elevators.

I think the design has progressed quite a lot, I just need to better communicate it through more precise drawings and a model. It interacts with the surrounding area, but I might delve into this a bit more when coming up with the model. It maintains the interactive aspect which was part of our folie's main purpose - leading people into the structure and creating an interactive surrounding through the form.

Week 12 - Design Development

So I think I've got the form of the building pretty sorted, I just need to look at how I want to lay everything out. Above is a diagram showing whats going to be on each level. The ground level will be mostly open with a cafe/stop over area and access to the higher levels of the building. Level 1 will be the virtual library area with private and public study areas, a function space (can be closed off from rest), bathrooms, and a reception/help desk for library enqiries and booking for function room/classes held there. The second level will be smaller than the first and have a small cinema, building services/plant room and a small studio space - this level will be mostly closed off to outside light, as it will have low lighting requirements and the canopy will overlap much of this section of the building. The top level will provide street access to the building and have a roof garden/lookout. I think this layout will work quite well and provide good user flow for the virtual library, now it just needs to be worked a bit to get it into a floor plan.

Looking at the function of the building its good to see how the virtual library might work. The image above shows how the information pillars on the library level might be used. Seeing as most people might have a laptop or smart phone with them, there will be powerpoints where people could plug in chargers as well as wifi which can be accessed with your library access details (available when you have a library card, which can be gotten from the reception desk). For individuals who don't bring their own laptop, there are tablet pcs which can be used with library log on details (again from having a library card), these are permanently connected to the info pillars. When a user is logged onto the library data server, they will be able to download/borrow online books (these might have a time duration limit and encoding depending on legality on the virtual distribution of these books). For people who didn't bring their own laptop/tablet for whatever reason and wish to borrow a virtual book, there will be a data kiosk where they can swipe their library card, search an online catalogue and save a book to their usb (this service could also be available on the library website from home pc access, but for whatever reason if someone couldn't access this or just preferred getting the virtual book from the library, then this kiosk can be used). Needless to say, their will be plenty of seating around data point (some with desks, some without) - all library tablets will be at desk stations to minimize possible damage to tablets (if they were left on the floor or if someone tried to steal one).

The floor void in the picture above is just a way to make the building feel more open and have the different levels feel more interconnected - I think they will be mostly around the core to show how it joins between all the levels as its probably a safety hazard if they're kinda scattered all over the place.

Here's just a possible view of the front facade showing the pillars and canopy and the entrance to the building. After having discussed the form with my tutor, Yvonne, I've decided to go with the steel/cast concrete structure (an example image of this can be seen in last weeks blog post). It'll probably help to make the building feel more real (not really sure about best way to describe this?), but anyway, it will probably end up looking less curvy/scattered with the pillars and more neat and clean-cut.

Week 11 - Design Development

So after my sketches last week, I've made a rough model to better show how the canopy might work:

So this shows the core of the building and the connected root system, the bottom will look pretty much like this, but the will be a connective membrane thingy connecting the roots at the top of the structure. The flooring will be worked in around the pillars and the facade will be mostly glass to allow people to look out through the canopy of the building. In terms of materials used to create the pillar system, I'm thinking either a cast-form material so that the shapes appear to be part of one big piece and all flow together, or some kind of timber paneling, fitted together so that the pillars will have some texture to them and a natural colouring. Both options provide a lot of flexibility in design and can be built around stronger concrete or steel pillars for the structural members, it'll just end up coming down to which material will best suit the "feel" of the building. At the moment I'm thinking the timber will work well with a more natural look, but it will involve designing a joining system to put the panels together.
Here is an example image of what a cast-form material would look like (obviously the structural form will be different, but would have this effect, potentially providing more webbing options than the timber alternative - it also look quite clean/modern and might be a more technical (?) looking structure)

And here is an example image of what a timber canopy might look like. I like the way the pillar is made of all different pieces of timber, it makes a really nice texture which can be enhanced with lighting. Also, from an internal view, it can create really interesting patterns (would be good because you'll be able to see through the canopy from inside the building). Of course the form would be different from this example, but its a good way to look at the technique - also I feel it relates to the "growing architecture" aspect a lot more than the cast-form canopy would because you really are creating the form through all these smaller pieces, it reminds me of the cells of a plant and how they make up the whole thing.

Week 10 - Design Development

So this week I have been considering making the building based around a central core (elevator/services) with usable space around it (maybe have a semi-circular shape backing onto the cliff?). After talking it through with my tutor, Yvonne, I think I'm going to change it so that bits of the root canopy comes through the actual building and these can be service-storing pillars (like power points and stuff) for the virtual library while others can be structural. I've been thinking about what kind of shape the building could take (see diagram at top of picture for potential plan views) but I guess I'll come to a final shape once I've got the floor plan sorted.
I'm not sure if I really like the circular buildings I've got on the left of the picture, they kinda look like mushrooms being held down with roots (not exactly what I was going for...) So on the right I explored a bit of a fountain style roof which could be manipulated into whatever shape for the building footprint but still has the central core. I guess I'll need to make a model to better demonstrate the idea. Also in regards to flooring, I'm not really sure how I'm going to tackle it, but I'm thinking of having the floor kind of appearing to float amongst the roots of the roof, so maybe some of the internal pillars will have a void around them looking bellow to the lower level (I think this would create a really interesting effect and make the building feel more open). Also in the top closed section of the building, Yvonne suggested perhaps incorporating a cinema or something like that. I think this could work well, I'll have to have a think about it some more, but it could mean providing more to the community (this is going to be a virtual library/community center - a small cinema or stage/performance area could bring this idea to life a bit more).
So for the planning I'll be having the cafe/stop over at ground level (with a lot of open space) and the foot print of the building extending via the roots over the foot paths and surrounding space. On the first floor I will create a function room (community classes, etc.) and the virtual library space (open or private spaces, some computer access, powerpoints/wifi availability, help desk/reception type area - will also be in charge for organising functions/activities and for cinema/studio access). Second floor will be cinema area with maybe some studio space (still undecided about this bit - will talk more with Yvonne). And top/roof level will have an access point to the road level above the site - site investigation diagrams from start of project suggest this would be a good idea for accessablility to the building.

Week 9 - Project 2 Presentation

Here are my slides for the Project 2 Presentation. The first few are pretty self explanatory (written on the slides and info from earlier in the blog), as for the floor plans - they're just more of a way to look at how the space could potentially be used and what kind of spaces I might like to provide in the final design. Also, they look pretty plain and I'm not happy with how they came out, but it was still a good way to get a feel for what the space could be like. The section is (of course) based of said floor plans, but I think this drawing shows the internal perspective quite well as for what it might be like looking out through the canopy. After discussing the project with my tutor, Yvonne, I think I'm going to take a few steps back and keep the initial idea of raising the core of the building and providing a casual open space below (also, with the amount of space I used in these floor plans - even though it is within the briefs range - I feel there was to much empty/random space without a purpose).

I think the top section of the canopy on the first perspective sketch looks a bit better than the second. The second sketch was based off the floor plan (mainly stone finish and glass - very angular and kinda box-ish) but it better shows how the walkway can interact with the building and I think the lower half of the canopy looks best in this sketch. Of course both sketches show the bottom of the building as closed off, but I'm thinking the final design will have the bottom open (maybe for the exception of a coffee shop, as this was gonna provide a kinda pit-stop coffee service which would be pretty inconvenient if it was up a level).