DESIGNING ENVIRONMENTS [ENVS10004] AGENDA SETTING & VISUALISING ASSIGNMENT Student: Nicholas Dean (699066) Tutor: Lisa Cummins
[UNDERSTANDING THE DESIGN BRIEF AND FORMING AN AGENDA]
Nicholas Dean (699066)
BY EXTRACTING KEY WORDS FROM THE DESIGN BRIEF, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE TASK WAS DEVELOPED WHICH WILL LATER CONTRIBUTE TO THE FORMATION OF A STRUCTURE OR SPACE THAT MEETS ALL INTENDED PURPOSES.
[ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RAYMOND PRIESTLEY UNDERCROFT]
Nicholas Dean (699066)
1. IT IS A SEMI-ENCLOSED SPACE WHICH RESULTS IN THE AREA BEING SHADED THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE DAY.
2. THERE IS NO INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO INTERACT WITH 0R STAY IN THE SPACE FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME.
[ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RAYMOND PRIESTLEY UNDERCROFT] 3. AGAIN, DUE TO IT BEING SEMI-OPEN, WIND GUSTS ARE VERY STRONG AND CONSTANT.
4. IMPERVIOUS SURFACES DOMINATE THIS AREA, THUS, THERE IS A LACK OF GREEN SPACE.
Nicholas Dean (699066)
[OPPORTUNITIES OF THE RAYMOND PRIESTLEY UNDERCROFT]
Nicholas Dean (699066)
1. THERE IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT AROUND THE SITE, THEREFORE, THE DESIGN WILL LIKELY DRAW THESE INDIVIDUALS TO THE SITE CREATING A VIBRANT ENERGY.
2. IT IS QUITE CENTRAL ON CAMPUS, THEREFORE, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE VIEWED AS A ‘HUB’ OR MEET ING SPOT FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
3. ALTHOUGH HAVING IT’S ISSUES, THE SEMI-ENCLOSED NATURE OF THE BUILDING ALLOWS FOR THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT TO BE DRAWN INTO, AND CONNECTED WITH THE SITE.
4. TO CONTRAST OR CONFORM WITH THE EXISTING SITE, IN TERMS OF MATERIALS AND FORM.
[DESIGN AGENDA]
Nicholas Dean (699066)
A MINDMAP PRESENTED ITSELF AS THE MOST SUITABLE METHOD TO BRAINSTORM IDEAS FOR MY AGENDA. IT ALLOWED ME TO EXPLORE DIFFERENT AVENUES, FOCUSING IN ON PARTICULAR ASPECTS WHICH THEN RESULTED IN KEY DESIGN INTENTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS BEING NOTED.
“DRAWING UPON THE ESSENCE OF A PROTEST, WHEREBY PEOPLE GATHER TOGETHER, THE DESIGN WILL PROVIDE A SOCIAL MEETING AREA FOR STUDENTS THAT ENCOURAGES GROUP INVOLVEMENT”.
[VISUALISING THE AGENDA]
Nicholas Dean (699066)
ANALOGY: - LIKENING THE ASPECT OF A HUB OR MEETING PLACE TO A TREE, WHEREBY THE BRANCHES TRACE BACK TO ONE CENTRAL STRUCTURE
WHILST NOT AT SUCH EXTREME HEIGHTS, RAISED WALKWAYS CREATE A SENSE OF WONDER AND OPENNESS.
[VISUALISING THE AGENDA]
Nicholas Dean (699066)
EXPERIENCE AND EXPLORATION: - THE SITE OVERALL FELT VERY COLD AND SECLUDED, WITH VERY FEW PEOPLE OCCUPYING THE SPACE.
TIMBER SEEMS TO CONFORM TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT VERY WELL.
[VISUALISING THE AGENDA]
Nicholas Dean (699066)
MATERIALITY: - DUE TO THE SITE BEING VERY STARK AND COLD, I WANTED TO DRAW
UPON MATERIALS AND ELEMENTS THAT ARE RELATED TO NATURE OR ALLOW FOR A CONNECTION WITH NATURE.
GREEN SPACES CAN OFTEN BE INCORPORATED TO ANY SPACE IN A CREATIVE AND INTRIGUING WAY.
TIMBER STRUCTURES SEEM TO SIT WELL IN THIER SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT
[SITE RESPONSE]
Nicholas Dean (699066)
THE SITE RESPONSE SEEKS TO INCORPORATE MORE NATURAL ELEMENTS LIKE THAT OF GRASS INTO THE SPACE, WHILST REDUCING THE DISCOMFORT FROM WIND BY EXCAVATING DOWN INTO THE GROUND. THIS ALSO CONTRIBUTED GREATLY IN HARNESSING NATURAL LIGHT FROM THE SUN DUE TO A HIGH CEILING CLEARANCE. THE FORM OF THE SIGHT INADVERTANTLY BECOME LIKE THAT OF A FORUM, WHEREBY PEOPLE COME TO GATHER AND INTERACT, A FEATURE THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESSENCE OF A PROTEST.
[MODEL MAKING]
Nicholas Dean (699066)
EXPLORING THE NATURE OF THE SUSPENDED WALKWAY AND WHAT SENSATION IT WILL ESTABLISH.
VIEWPOINT FROM UNDERNEATH THE STRUCTURE. THE STRUCTURE ITSELF WILL BE MINIMALISTIC IN ORDER TO REFRAIN FROM BLOCKING THE SUNLIGHT
FREE-FORM STRUCTURE AS IT DRAWS AWAY FROM THE SQUARED EDGES OF THE EXISTING RAYMOND PRIESTLEY BUILDING.