AWAKE
AWAKENED
INTD 5002 | CAPSTONE II | ESTRELLA YANG
SPACE
Contents
1
Background
2
Development
3
Details
4
Site and User
5
Experience
Background
The Background
Last semester, the research of this project was focusing on the relationship between the body and
ever-changing materials, and how can that be applied to create a constantly awakened interior space. The
challenge was to explore the definition, the methods and
significance
of
awakening. This
involved
addressing the relationship between the body and the space - the two are opposing in attributes, but
how can the space serve the body while the latter gives meaningful feedback to the former, resulting in a two-way interaction to achieve “awakening”?
Through the design and study over this semester, the project has evolved by creating a private pod
with a cloud-like skin-friendly material and flexible
combinations of features to achieve “awakening” at a personal and spatial scale. The project has also focused on an in-depth exploration of “body
impression” which infuses the core idea of “body shaping space”. The significance of the project is to provide an ever-changing space for the users to create their own experience with unlimited possibilities.
Space How often do you think of “I wish this place could have this/that ...”? How often do you change your
home settings and trying to find the best fit? Interior space can be seen as a container that carries
people’s life, but most of the time it is mean to be
changed by people, especially when the space is not only serving one person. As a public school library, it
contains activities that go beyond reading, browsing, and studying to provide a comfortable space for students and faculties to relax between classes.
Why do we need this space to be constantly
changed? Think about the space where you feel most comfortable and relaxing - most people’s
answer will be their home. A large part of the reason we feel comfortable in our homes is because we
take ownership of it and can change the placement of furniture and objects to suit the needs of the
moment, and partly because our body has already adapted to the shape of our furniture.
The “Cloud Pod” combines flexibility and
adaptability of our body, with the individual’s body shape as the main focus, it allows users to create
their own private space within the public context.
Body
Interact
Imagine
Impress
Transform
Development
Body Shapes Space
Imagination
A space that provides possibilities
+ Interaction Interacting with space through your body and senses
+
Transformation Gradually transform from one environment to another
+
Impression A space records the imprint of user interaction
The Beginning
Space Transform The design process started with a transformable
module to accommodate various of body positions at personal and social scale. The
horizontal panel attached to the frame of the
module is adjustable and changeable by users, and the entire module can also be moved and
connected to create different social spaces as need.
As the core concept being “Body Shapes Space”, the previous module relied too much on functionality while missing the
inhabiting softness. By researching the influence of materials on engraving body impression, the project has developed its own language of using a high-density, soft foam material to mimic the intimate and comfortable touch of the cloud.
Body Impression
Evolution of Pod
The “Cloud Pod” The Cloud Pod is an site-less module which can be placed
anywhere indoor. It consists of a private pod, a workstation, the “clouds” as a backing system, and two integrated seatings which can be pulled out and move around.
The cloud panel is a system which can be made separately
and installed on walls at a specific site to work with the Cloud Pod as need.
private pod
workstation
+
+
extra seating
the “clouds”
=
cloud panel system
Details
The “Cloud”
Consisted of soft rubber foam and clear vinyl coat, the “cloud” reveals a desire to be touched, with the warm, pleasing DAAP pink color.
The inner rubber foam is a high-density material that allows you
to feel the softness while not losing yourself in it, and the soft thin vinyl cover helps with maintenance and sustainability. The
shape of it was inspired by the Looped Pile Seat (left image)
by Evan Runge, which uses an innovative technique to create unique textures while keeps the comfortableness from a simple material.
The “cloud” is focusing on shaping the body as a surface, also representing the two-sided nature of a surface and connecting the interactions between the inside and outside of the “pod“.
The “Cloud”
Top
Front
Side
The “cloud“ when not impressed by the body
When the “cloud” feels the
pressure from the body, it will follow the movement
Plywood panel as structure
which holds the weight of body
Full Scale Prototype
1
clear vinyl sheet
3
5
Making Process
2
4
soft rubber foam
6
The “Pod”
The pod has experienced many variations from the
very beginning to now, yet always revolves around the core concept of user interaction leading to spatial transformation.
The final form of the pod has rounded all the edges, which better blends the seating and table as they are organically grown and belong to the pod, alleviating the piece-by-piece dispersion and making the overall design more holistic. The mildly warm wood color also
supports this wholeness, while bringing a soft intimacy
to the users. There are two types of movable extra seating in the pod - one is a bench seat in the inner seat of the pod that can be pulled out completely and
placed anywhere; the other one is an extra seat in the external bench on the right side of the pod that can be pulled out to a length of about two seats.
A variety of different configurations of space can be
extended from these flexible seats and pods to meet the needs of different users, which constantly awake the space at a spatial scale.
1
skylight opening
metal frame
2 foam backing (the “cloud”)
1
3
4
2
3
4
4
4
plywood table
4
pull-out extra seat (completely out)
plywood frame structure pull-out extra seat
How to perform?
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Imagine
Impress
Transform
Interact
1
3
4
2
5
......
How can it transform?
Site + User
DAAP Library
The DAAP Library is also known as The Robert A. Deshon and Karl J. Schlachter Library for Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, located on 5000 level of
DAAP, University of Cincinnati. It provides monographs, bound journals, and cutting-edge periodicals to DAAP students and faculties, which are covering various of subjects in Art and Design field.
The study area with the skylight shown in the photo is the specific site for this project. It is a trapezoidal area consists of a row of tables against the wall, with
comfortable nature lighting from above, which evenly lights up the entire space.
As of now, this area is under utilized and limited activities can be performed. Due to the rising demand for libraries with both social and private features among
students and faculties, we need to re-think the definition of a library. The project has awakened this space to be
ever-changing and brought a variety of features to it, enhancing the experience of the users while triggering numerous different possibilities.
The main users of the DAAP Library
are students and faculties from DAAP, as well as occasional visitors and organization tourists.
On the first floor of the library, there
are three entrances/exits - the main entrance the
located
in
the
emergency exit to the
courtyard, and
a
building, outside
faculty entrance
which rarely opens. The second floor of
the library is mainly used to store larger books, and there are two small meeting
rooms on a reservation basis, which are ideal for focused work and study. While
the first floor is relatively open and
pleasant for having open discussions and socializing.
DAAP Library
Experience
1
2
3
1
3
2
cloud pod
cloud panel (fixed)
bookshelf
pull-out bench (attached)
Floor Plan
pull-out bench
cloud panel (adjustable)
flexible side table
whiteboard
pull-out bench
bench-height cloud panel (fixed)
bookshelf
whiteboard
standing-heig (adjustable)
ght cloud panel
Wall Elevation
flexible side table
ground-height cloud panel (adjustable)
whiteboard
bookshelf
embedded track
stopper
carrier
cloud panel
Cloud Panel Details
wall installation diagram
AWAKENED
INTD 5002 | CAPSTONE II | ESTRELLA YANG
SPACE
INTD 5002 | CAPSTONE II | ESTRELLA YANG