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).