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.