NICK CARRAWAY’S
WRITING
ROOM A PLACE OF SANCTUARY
A N D R E W
H O C K E Y
3 0 0 3 3 7 8 2 1
PROJECT S TAT E M E N T
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
NICK CARRAWAY’S WRITING ROOM
TO BEGIN WITH...
THIS INTERIOR PROJECT SEEKS TO CREATE A SAFE, PEACEFUL, ISOLATED PLACE FOR NICK CARRAWAY TO RETREAT TO.
FOR ME, GOOD DESIGN STARTS WITH A DECENT COLOUR SCHEME. THE MAJORITY OF THIS PROJECT IS PRESENTED IN CRISP WHITE, ACCENTED WITH RICH RED AND SOFT GREY. THE LAYOUT IS CALM AND CLEAN, CONTRASTING EARLY 20TH CENTURY IDEAS WITH THE CONTEMPORARY
NICK IS A RECOVERING ALCOHOLIC AND INSOMNIAC SUFFERING FROM ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND FITS OF RAGE. HE NEEDS AN ISOLATED SPACE TO HEAL, AND TO WRITE.
THE CLIENT THE SITE I’M DESIGNING ON IS A STEEP HILL IN LOWER KELBURN, LOCATED HIGH ABOVE WELLINGTON CITY, OVERLOOKING THE URBAN SETTING, THE HARBOUR, AND BEYOND. THE CURRENT ARCHITECTURE IS A SIMPLE BOX SET INTO THE STEEP HILLSIDE WITH ONE ENTIRELY GLAZED WALL. THE INTENTION FOR THIS INTERIOR IS TO BE A PLACE WHERE NICK CAN ESCAPE BY HIMSELF AND ENJOY HIS OWN COMPANY WHILE WRITING - A THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY FOR HIM. THIS SMALL ROOM IS TO BE A PLACE OF WITHDRAWAL, EMBEDDED IN THE HILLSIDE BUT SUSPENDED OVER THE CITY, HUNG DELICATELY AGAINST THE UTOPIAN WELLINGTON LANDSCAPE, BUT SET IN ANOTHER ERA
I BEGAN THE PROJECT BY ANALYSING NICK CARRAWAY’S CHARACTER, AND LEARNING ABOUT WHAT MOTIVATES HIM, WHAT HE DESPISES, AND FROM THERE, WHAT KIND OF SPACE HE WOULD REQUIRE .
THE ART DECO PERIOD MANY DECISIONS MADE THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT WERE INFORMED BY THE IDEALS OF ART-DECO INTERIOR DESIGN, THE PERIOD DURING WHICH NICK CARRAWAY WAS ALIVE. I CONCLUDED HE WOULD FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE IN AN ENVIRONMENT SUITED TO WHAT HE WAS USED TO.
THE EXISTING ARCHITECTURE I THEN HAD TO LOOK AT WHAT ALREADY EXISTED ON SITE. LUCKILY MY PIECE OF ARCHITECTURE WAS SIMPLE AND EASY TO WORK WITH, AND NOT A LOT OF ALTERATIONS WERE REQUIRED.
FURNITURE I BEGAN THE DESIGN PROCESS WITH DRAWN CONCEPTS FOR A SINGLE PIECE OF FURNITURE THAT WOULD SUIT NICK CARRAWAY’S NEEDS. I SETTLED ON A CHAIR WHICH INCORPORATES A WRITING DESK, AND DEVELOPED IT THROUGH DIGITAL MODELLING INTO A PIECE OF BEAUTIFUL ART-DECO-COME-MODERNIST FURNITURE WHICH RUNS ON BRASS TRACKS ACROSS THE ROOM, TO GIVE NICK DIFFERENT VIEWS OVER THE LANDSCAPE AS HE WRITES.
APERTURES I THEN NEEDED TO ALTER THE CURRENT ARCHITECTURE (WHICH FEATURED A LARGE GLAZED WALL) SO THAT PARTICULAR AND DISTINCT VIEWS OVER THE CITY WERE CAPTURED AND FRAMED. I CHOSE TO PUT PANELLING OVER EXISTING FACETS OF GLASS TO ENCLOSE THE SPACE MORE AND CURATE THE VIEWS OUT OVER THE CITY.
SURFACES I CHOSE TO CLAD THE FLOOR IN HIGHLY POLISHED WOODEN PARQUETRY, TYPICAL OF THE ART DECO PERIOD. I THEN SLIGHTLY ORNAMENTED THE CEILING, ADDING LIGHTS TO COMPLIMENT THE NATURAL SUNLIGHT. FOLLOWING, I DESIGNED THE WALL SURFACES IN ORDER FOR THEM NOT TO BE BORING, BUT FUNCTIONAL. I COMBINED CABINETRY WITH SHELVING TO CREATE FLOORTO-CEILING UNITS THAT SPAN ACROSS THREE WALLS. THESE UNITS WERE DESIGNED IN RED CHERRY WOOD, ORNAMENTED WITH BRASS AND POLISHED STEEL. TO CONCLUDE THE PROCESS, I BROUGHT ALL THE ELEMENTS TOGETHER IN ONE LARGE DIGITAL MODEL, RENDERED IT WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT MATERIALS, AND CUT SECTIONS TO SHOW THE DESIGN FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES.
INTRODUCING
NICK CARRAWAY INTRODUCING NICK CARRAWAY, A
WELL-ROUNDED,
EDUCATED
GENTLEMAN
THE MID-WEST, RETIRED AND
LOVER
OF
NICK WAS BORN INTO A WEALTHY FAMILY OF NOUVEAU RICHE MIDWESTERNERS IN CHICAGO. HE STUDIED AT YALE AND WENT OFF TO FIGHT IN WORLD WAR ONE, RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES AND TAKING UP RESIDENCE IN LONG ISLAND, TO WORK IN FINANCE AS A BOND SALESMAN IN NEW YORK CITY.
YALE FROM
WAR VETERAN,
BOND
NICK CARRAWAY IS THE NARRATOR OF SCOTT F. FITZGERALD’S 1925 NOVEL THE GREAT GATSBY, SET IN LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK, IN THE ROARING TWENTIES.
SALESMAN LITERATURE
NICK IS INFLUENCED BY HIS SHORTLIVED TIME AS A FRIEND OF JAY GATSBY, AND IS SENT TO A SANATORIUM FOR REHABILITATION AFTER SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS AND INSTABILITY.
ACCORDING TO NICK’S PSYCHOLOGIST, HE HAS BECOME MORBIDLY ALCOHOLIC, AN INSOMNIAC, SUFFERS FROM ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND FITS OF ANGER. NICK IS TIRED OF AND DISGUSTED BY THE SHALLOW LIFESTYLES LED IN NEW YORK HIS ONLY HOPE OF RECOVERY IS TO REVISIT HIS MEMORIES AND WRITE THEM DOWN. NICK IS A LOVER OF LITERATURE AND WANTS TO BE A WRITER - THIS PIECE OF INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE CAN HELP HIM BY GIVING HIM A CALM, ISOLATED SPACE TO WRITE AND RECOVER - A WITHDRAWAL FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD, A RETREAT, AND A PLACE OF SANCTUARY.
NICK CARRAWAY’S ATTRIBUTES:
NICK’S JOURNEY 1 WEALTHY BACKGROUND PRIVILEGED AND SMART WELL EDUCATED, PASSIONATE WANTS TO EARN IN FINANCE
2 MEETS GATSBY AND CO. BECOMES A SOCIALITE STARTS DRINKING A LOT LIVES THE LONG ISLAND LIFE
3 REGAINS CONTROL LEAVES NEW YORK ADMITS HIMSELF TO REHAB HATES HIS PAST LIFESTYLE
- COMES FROM MONEY IN THE MID-WEST, BUT IS STILL HUMBLE AND HARD-WORKING - NOT AS WEALTHY AS HIS FAMILY OR CLOSE FRIENDS, TRIES TO MAKE HIS OWN FORTUNE - IS A WRITER AND LOVER OF LITERATURE - BEGINS STORY AS AN EASY-GOING, POLITE, GENTLEMANLY PERSON -BECOMES AN ALCOHOLIC AND INSOMNIAC, AND SUFFERS FROM DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND RAGE - HATES THE NEW MONEY LIFESTYLE HE EXPERIENCED IN NEW YORK - WISHES TO LIVE A QUIET LIFE GUIDED BY TRADITIONAL MORAL VALUES
THE SPACE SHOULD BE: - STYLISH BUT CONSERVATIVE - A PEACEFUL, QUIET PLACE TO WRITE - ENCOURAGING INTROSPECTION AND SELFREFLECTION - A HOMELY, COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT
EXISTING ARCHITECTURE
6000
EXISTING ARCHITECTURE THE EXISTING ARCHITECTURE IS A 3x6m BOX, 2.5m HIGH AND ENCLOSED ON ALL FOUR SIDES. THE EASTERN SIDE IS A LARGE, COMPLEX GLAZED WALL MADE UP OF MULTIPLE FACETS. THE ARCHITECTURE IS BUILT INTO THE GROUND ON KELBURN HILLSIDE, THE GROUNDLINE CUTTING DIAGONALLY THROUGH THE SIDE ELEVATION. THE INTERIOR GETS A LOT OF MORNING SUNLIGHT (AND GREAT VIEWS) THROUGH THE LARGE WINDOW WALL. CURRENTLY ACCESS TO THE SPACE HASN’T BEEN DESIGNED, AND WILL NEED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS INTERIOR SPACE. 3100
G
RO
U
N
D
N LI
E
B E LOW G R O U N D
2500
G L A Z E D WA L L
INSPIRATION ART DECO ART
DECO
CHARACTERISTICS
GATSBY’S CASTLE
AS NICK CARRAWAY IS FROM THE 1920s, AND THE EMERGING DESIGN STYLE DURING THAT TIME WAS ART DECO, IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO TURN THE INTERIOR OF THIS HUT INTO A PERIOD PIECE OF ART DECO DESIGN.
THE SET DESIGN IN BAZ LUHRMANN’S 2013 FILM ADAPTATION OF THE GREAT GATSBY IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF BEAUTIFUL ART DECO INTERIOR STYLE.
- GEOMETRIC, ANGULAR FORMS WITH A LOT OF LINEAR INFLUENCE IN ARTWORKS, BUT WITH STRONG CURVES APPEARING IN FURNITURE. EXPENSIVE, ELEGANT, EXTRAVAGANT MATERIALS SUCH AS HIGHLY POLISHED TROPICAL HARDWOOD, GOLD, GLASS, MIRRORS, MARBLE. DESIGN THEMES INCLUDE ZIGZAGS, CHEVRONS AND SUNBURSTS - USE OF LIKE RED,
DEEP, BLUE,
RICH, SIMPLE GREEN AND
COLOURS YELLOW.
- LARGE PIECES OF STREAMLINED FURNITURE, SOLID-COLOUR UPHOLSTERY, AND PARQUET FLOORING WITH GEOMETRICALLY DESIGNED RUGS
GATBY’S MASTER BEDROOM FEATURES MODERN GEOMETRIC PATTERNING, ELEGANT RED WOODS, METALS AND CLEAN LINES. HIS HALL / BALLROOM HAS BEAUTIFUL MARQUETRY ON THE FLOOR, ALL HIGHLY POLISHED, AND THE MORE STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS SUCH AS THE STAIRS, COLUMNS AND WALLS ALL FEATURE THE IDEALS OR CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD ART DECO DESIGN
FURNITURE
DESIGN
FURNITURE CONCEPTS
ONE WRITINGCHAIR
TWO BOOKSHELF
THE IDEAL PIECE OF FURNITURE FOR NICK CARRAWAY - A STYLISH, DECO/MODERN INSPIRED WRITING DESK AND CHAIR, A PERIODPIECE PERFECT FOR WRITING HIS NOVELS AND MEMOIRS IN
A COMPLEX, STRUCTURAL. BEAUTIFUL BOOKSHELF, FREESTANDING AND ABLE TO CONTAIN ALL OF NICK’S FAVOURITE LITERATURE, MEMORIES, AND FUTURE WORKS.
FURNITURE CONCEPTS
THREE CLOTHINGRACK THE MOST PRACTICAL PIECE OF FURNITURE FOR A FASHIONABLE GENTLEMAN - A BESPOKE CLOTHING RACK, WITH HOOKS FOR COATS AND SHIRTS, HATS, TIES AND ACCESSORIES, AS WELL AS STORAGE FOR SHOES
FOUR LAMP AN ORNATE, SCULPTURAL FLOOR LAMP IN THE ART DECO STYLE. IDEAL FOR LATE EVENINGS SPENT IN THE SPACE
FURNITURE DEVELOPMENT
START
WITH
CHAIR
-
NEEDS
FRIENDLY,
ONE WRITINGCHAIR C H O S E N
ERGONOMIC
EXPERIMENTING
DESIGN, THE CHAIR NEEDS RELEVANT AESTHETIC TO THE TIME HE LIVED IN...
MODERN
MORE
WITH
USER-
ANGLED LEGS, RECLINED BACK, FLAT,
HORIZONTAL
FORM
DESIGN
ADDED
INTRODUCTION
OF
DESK
HEIGHT AND CUSHIONING, PIVOT
STRUCTURE AND CANTILEVERED
POINTS,
SEAT - PRACTICAL AND BEAUTIFUL
AND
MOVING
C O N C E P T
THIS COMBINED CHAIR AND DESK MAKES THE MOST SENSE OUT OF ALL THE OTHER CONCEPTS - NICK IS WRITER AND NEEDS A PLACE TO RELAX AND CONTINUE HIS LITERARY CRAFT. THIS CHAIR OFFERS JUST THAT. MOVING FORWARD IN THE TO TAKE ON A MORE NICK’S PERSONALITY AND
CLASSIC
NEWLY FORM
REFINED -
INSPIRATION MODERNIST AND A
TAKING FROM DESIGN,
INTEGRATING WRITING
DESK
PARTS
FURNITURE DEVELOPMENT
INITIAL FRAME: - TWO STRUCTURES, ONE TO SUPPORT THE CHAIR CUSHIONS AND USER, ONE TO SUPPORT THE DESK
ADDITION OF CHAIR CUSHIONS, DESK TOP AND ARMRESTS ON CHAIR. AT THIS POINT, THE CHAIR LOOKS DISPROPORTIONATE AND TOO LONG.
ARMRESTS ARE LENGTHENED, DESK IS NOW SUPPORTED ON ONE ARM WHICH PIVOTS TO ALLOW USER EASY ACCESS INTO CHAIR
LEGS OF SEAT STRUCTURE ARE SHORTENED AND ANGLED AT A DIFFERENT POINT FOR STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND AESTHETIC REASONS
THE CHAIR IS FINISHED IN HIGH-GLOSS POLISHED RED OAK, TYPICAL OF THE ART-DECO PERIOD, WITH THE SEATS UPHOLSTERED IN RED-BROWN LEATHER
FINALLY, A FOOTREST IS ADDED TO THE CHAIR, MAKING THE EXPERIENCE MORE COMFORTABLE FOR NICK AS HE SITS AND WRITES.
A FRONT BAR HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT STRUCTURE TO GIVE BALANCE, AND ACCOMMODATE A FOOTREST.
MANY CORNERS AND EDGES ON THE CHAIR ARE SMOOTHED OUT WITH CURVES TO GIVE THE CHAIR A MORE ELEGANT ART DECO LOOK
FURNITURE
FINAL PRODUCT
THE WRITING CHAIR WILL INTEGRATE WITH THE INTERIOR SPACE BY SLIDING HORIZONTALLY ALONG BRONZE TRACKS, MAKING IT A MOVABLE PIECE OF FURNITURE
ONE WRITINGCHAIR
APERTURE
DESIGN
APERTURE
CURR
CONCEPT
CONC
C U R R E N T G L A Z E D WA L L
CONC
ENT G LAZE D WA LL
EPT O NE GLAZ ED C ONC
EPT T WO
- GLA ZED C ONV
AV E S
EXES
CURRENTLY THE ONLY SOURCE OF LIGHT, SUN, AND VIEW INTO THE BUILDING IS FROM THE LARGE FACETED WINDOW ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE BUILDING. THIS SERVES AS A GIANT WINDOW THAT GIVES THE OCCUPANT UNPARALLELED VIEWS OVER WELLINGTON CITY AND HARBOUR HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT CONTROL IS EXERCISED OVER THE VIEW OUTSIDE. FOR NICK CARRAWAY’S SAKE, SEPARATE APERTURES INTO THE OUTSIDE WORLD WOULD WORK BETTER THAN ONE LARGE GLAZED WALL. THE AIM IS TO RESTRICT THE PAVILION-STYLE PANORAMAS OF THE CITY, AND TRANSFORM THEM INTO SEPARATE, FRAMED, CONTROLLED VIEWS.
I HAVE CHOSEN CONCEPT TWO, WHERE ONLY THE NARROW, CONVEX FACETS ARE LEFT GLAZED. THIS CREATES THREE DISTINCT AND DIFFERENT VIEWS OUT OF THE ROOM FROM ANY ONE POINT.
APERTURE
DEVELOPMENT
C U R R E N T G L A Z E D WA L L
CONCEPT TWO - GLAZED CONVEXES
LAMBTON HARBOUR
O R I E N TA L B AY
E X A M P L E PA N E L T R E AT M E N T
M T. V I C T O R I A
D E V E L O P E D E X A M P L E PA N E L T R E AT M E N T + E N G I N E E R E D V I E W P O R T S
SURFACE
DESIGN
SURFACE FLOORING
C H O S E N
F I N I S H :
P A R Q U E T R Y
SIMPLE WOOD FLOORING
PARQUETRY
WOODEN FLOORBOARDS
BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN, UNIQUE, RUSTIC NOT QUITE CHARACTERISTIC OF ART DECO OF MODERN PERIOD STYLE
CLASSIC ART DECO FLOOR STYLE - A NUMBER OF WOODEN PLANKS ARRANGED IN A HERRINGBONE FORMATION
SIMPLE, TIMELESS AND UNDERSTATED, EASY TO WORK WITH, BUT CAN GIVE THE ROOM A SENSE OF DIRECTION
DECO TILING
BLACK MARBLE
WHITE MARBLE
ANOTHER CLASSIC ART-DECO PATTERN OF BLACK AND WHITE TILES. CAN MAKE THE SPACE FEEL COLD OR CORPORATE
BEAUTIFUL, EDGY AND EXTREMELY ELEGANT, BUT CAN ALSO CREATE A “COLD” AND UNINVITING ATMOSPHERE
EXTRAVAGANT, EXPENSIVE AND REFINED, BUT NOT WARM AND WELCOMING LIKE A COMFORTABLE RETREAT SHOULD BE
SURFACE
D E P T H
WA L L S
&
I N T E R E S T
THIS PAGE SHOWS THE INTENTION TO MAKE THE WALL SURFACES MORE THAN JUST FLAT, SIMPLE PLANES
HARDWOOD PANELLING CLASSIC, ADDS TEXTURE AND DEPTH TO THE WALL, CAN BE FINISHED IN A HIGH GLOSS
CABINETRY / CUPBOARDS TAKES PANELLING A STEP FURTHER BY ADDING A FUNCTIONAL DIMENSION - STORAGE SPACE
SHELVING COMBINES OF THE CONCEPT ALSO A
SURFACE WITH ONE MISSED FURNITURE OPPORTUNITIES FUNCTIONAL IDEA.
SHELVING WITH CABINETRY A CLEVER COMBINATION OF HIDDEN AND EXPOSED STORAGE (CUPBOARDS VS. INSET SHELVING) WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BE FINISHED IN BEAUTIFUL, ART DECO PERIOD STYLES
M A T E R I A L
WA L L S
POLISHED BRASS
H I G H G LO S S WOOD
USED FOR
USED FOR
USED FOR MIRRORSTYLE SURFACES PLACED AROUND THE WALL SURFACES, TO CREATE THE ILLUSION OF MORE SPACE
- HANDLES ON CABINETRY, CUPBOARDS AND DRAWS
ALL OTHER SURFACES CHERRY WOOD WILL BE THE PRIMARY MATERIAL USED IN THE WALL TREATMENT
BENEFITS
BENEFITS
BENEFITS
MIRROR SURFACES GIVE THE SPACE A LARGER FEEL AND STEEL IS IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGH-GLOSS AESTHETIC
A WARM AND BEAUTIFUL METAL TO ORNAMENT THE SPACE WITH,
IMITATES THE ART DECO STYLE’S USE OF HIGHLY POLISHED TROPICAL WOODS TO CREATE THE ATMOSPHERE OF OPULENCE
- TRACKS FOR THE PIECE OF FURNITURE TO RUN ON
WA L N U T R E D OA K
USED FOR
MAHOGANY
(CHERRY)
WOOD OPTIONS
CHERRY
POLISHED S TA I N L E S S S T E E L
P A L E T T E B L AC K WA L N U T
SURFACE
SURFACE
D E V E L O P M E N T
WA L L S
L E F T
TREATMENT THE SHELVING AND STORAGE UNITS ARE FINISHED IN HIGHLY POLISHED CHERRY WOOD, DRAWER HANDLES IN BRASS, MIRROR COLUMNS IN STEEL AND BACK WALL IN WHITE PAINT.
FURNISHING EXAMPLES OF HOW THE SHELVES MIGHT BE STOCKED WITH BOOKS, PLANTS, TAXIDERMY, GLOBES, ETC.
W A L L
REVISED DESIGNS, WHICH INCLUDE FOUR LAYERS OF SHELVING ABOVE SETS OF 600mm WIDE STACKED DRAWERS FOR STORAGE, AND CENTRAL COLUMNS
B A C K
A N D
R I G H T
W A L L S
DESIGN
SURFACE CEILING
D E V E L O P M E N T
EXTRUDED RIM 300mm WIDE 50m DEEP WARM LIGHTS
REFERENCE PLAN
SECTION THREE
SECTION ONE
SECTION TWO
SECTION ONE APERTURES
LAMBTON HARBOUR
BRASS HANDLES
ORIENTAL BAY
MOUNT VICTORIA
PARQUET FLOORING
SECTION TWO B AC K WA L L
CHERRY SHELVING
CEILING LIGHTS
POLISHED STEEL
SECRET DOOR (BEHIND MIRROR)
LONG RUG
BRASS TRACKS
SECTION THREE SIDE VIEW