Lotta Yoga X Robin Hood Cat Rescue The Arboretum Cafe
Communication
Major Project: Interior Speculations DESN30173
T0086989 Lok Ting, Yeung
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Project Manifesto
The project is creating a space for two Nottingham-based companies to combine them with a new form in a building, and Lotta Yoga and Robin Hood Cat Rescue were mine chosen in this case. The Lotta Yoga is providing more yoga classes, and the Robin Hood Cat Rescue is an independent charity for cats, welcoming people to adopt and visit cats. Both of these two companies are aimed to help to heal people and cat in physical and mental, that is the potential for future co-operation. In the project, it will design a space for all visitors, including humans and cats, which is important to get the balance between the cat rescue and the yoga class. Cats is a very sensitive animal, it is very smart, they know who treats it well or badly. Although cats are arrogant and naughty, they can also feel the true love of their owners, and bring your lives smoe happier.
In this design, the cat takes the advantage of its agility to take control of these commanding height points of the building, such as the ceiling and the top of the wall. For example, there are some cat walkways and nests on the wall, which are exclusively for cats. And humans occupy the floor space. The expectation for space is to allow each visitor to experience relaxation and peace through different spaces, natural lighting and plants will be a part of the interior design.
Design Concept Healing
Under the virus epidemic, the world has changed a lot. Some people are unemployed, some people die, and everyone is affected. Some people slowed down, thinking back to their past, and began to pay attention to their future. As yoga can help to heal or strengthen both psychologically and physically. Also, many yoga lovers believe that yoga can help their souls be improved and sublimated to a higher level, and the soul will be healed through this practice. Moreover, cats are so cute and have the power to heal people’s hearts. For cats, having a home and an owner to pet them can definitely make them feel better. With the petting and caring by humans, cats will have a better life and gradually become domesticated.
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Design Concept Blurred borders No person or animal wants to live in the same room forever. This design puts emphasis on the combination of the outside view and the atmosphere, trying to bring the scenery outside the building into the room, so that the inside and the outside merge with each other.
At the design, trying to use windows as a canvas to show the surrounding area, and the view will as well as a painting. Also, the garden will slightly change for servicing the visitor with better convenience which located outside the building.
The part like the new extension is a good example to demonstrate this idea, this part has a simple structure with glass and wooden beams. It looks like a greenhouse, visitor can sit indoors and enjoy the peaceful natural landscape.
Kengo Kuma, a Japanese architect, proposed that there is no need for a strong separation between the interior and exterior of the building. Inspired by that, the boundary between the building and the environment in the design is blurred.
About how to integrate space and nature, the key point is how to “soften” the presence of the building and the surrounding. For creating a sense of transition, common area 2 have a tree inside and using the wooden beam to reply the surrounding which has a lot of treea and plants.
Site Background
The Arboretum Cafe
The map shows the chosen building for this project and the surroundings of the site. The Arboretum Cafe is a red brick building located inside of the oldest public park in Nottingham city center. It is located at a corner in the park, some green spaces near the site, and the feeling is peace and relaxation. Its history can be traced back to the 1850s when the park opened, and it is a list 2 building now. The building mainly structured by red brick and some detail patterns on external with gray brick. The east and south of the site is the Nottingham city center and Uni, some food store and retail stores are around the site. The west and north are some residential property and the Forest fields. Because this building has cultural value, the design aimed to develop in a sustainable way and preserving the integrated historical value. Therefore, the most original and distinctive part of the brick structure buildings will be preserved, and on the other side, a part of the building will be rebuilt and extended.
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Building Use
Keep the main body of the original building, because it has the most historical value and characteristics. There has a part that is redesigned, this area is simpler than the reserved original building, and hopes there will be more space for the client to use. At the same time, due to the lack of space in the internal space, there is a new extension facing the bush of the park.
Between Existing and Extension part
Cat’s Ward Cat’s Living Area
Cat’ Bathtub
Redesign Area
Vet’s Office
Existing Extension
Common Area 1
Pantry Yoga’s Locker
Cat’sMeeying Room
W.C. Common Area 2 Yoga Classroom 2 Yoga Classroom 1
Design Programme
Deconstruction
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Building Use
The needs of these two clients are different, and the common facilities are limited. The first floor is mainly used for cat rescue, while the ground floor extension is used for yoga classes. The shared room or equipment is located in the middle, where the two areas overlap.
Between Two Clients
Cat’s Ward Cat’s Living Area
Cat’ Bathtub
Sharing Area
Vet’s Office
Lotta Yoga Robin Hood Cat Rescue
Common Area 1
Pantry Yoga’s Locker
Cat’sMeeying Room
W.C. Common Area 2 Yoga Classroom 2 Yoga Classroom 1
Design Programme
Deconstruction
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Building Use
Humans and cats have different needs and habits, but they both move in the same building. In order to reduce the impact between them, cats have some dedicated walkways and spaces which above the space for human areas; humans use space on the ground. In this case, the use of the two does not completely overlap.
Between Human and Cat
Cat’s Ward Cat’s Living Area
Cat’ Bathtub
Sharing Area
Vet’s Office
Human Cat
Common Area 1
Pantry Yoga’s Locker
Cat’sMeeying Room
W.C. Common Area 2 Yoga Classroom 2 Yoga Classroom 1
Design Programme
Deconstruction
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Material
Brick
Brick
• White colour for indoor wall • Red for outdoor (original)
• White colour for indoor wall • Red for outdoor (original)
• Existing building
Polyester
• Existing building
Laminate board with concrete finishing
• Sofa in the common area
• Seating in the common area
Oakwood board
Laminate-Flooring
• Durable, soft Cats are hard to destroy, they can be washed and brushed to remove dirt
• For furniture, Cat’s walkway
• High load, not easy to deform • Cats have the opportunity to leave scratches, but they are difficult to completely destroy and easy to clean
Tree
• Common area 2
• Some green plants can relax the pressure, bring nurture environment into indoor
• Highlight the space with a different type of material • Durable
• Flooring
The application of materials makes buildings have greater expressiveness and sense of space, creates various indoor moods, and greatly improves the beauty and practicality of the indoor environment.
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Artificial Lighting
Fluorescent tube • Pantry, locker and common area 2 • Softer lighting • Save more energy and electricity bills
Spotlight • Widely used in the building • Stronger lighting, so that the room can be seen clearly • Small size, power saving, concentrated irradiation range
Floor lamp • Yoga classroom • Softer lighting, creat atmosphere • Large volume, scattered irradiation range
Site Plan
Scale : 1:1000@A3
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Plan_ G/F (Human + Cat)
B
Scale : 1:100@A3
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Entrance Common area 1
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Pantry
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Cat’s Meeting
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Yoga’s Locker
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Common area 2
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Sky light
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Yoga’s reception
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Yoga classroom 1
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Yoga classroom 2
10 W.C. B
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Plan_ 1/F (Human + Cat)
B
Scale : 1:100@A3
11 Double height space 12 Cat’s living area
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13 Vet’s office
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14 Cat’s bathtub 15 Cat’s ward
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16 Cat’s walkway A
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Plan_ Roof
B
Scale : 1:100@A3
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Existing building
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Glasshouse
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Skylight
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Traffic Flow_ G/F Scale : 1:100@A3
Human Cat 7
Entrance
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Common area 1
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Pantry
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Cat’s Meeting
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Yoga’s Locker
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Common area 2
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Sky light
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Yoga’s reception
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Yoga classroom 1
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Yoga classroom 2
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Traffic Flow_ 1/F
Scale : 1:100@A3
Human Cat 11 Double height space 12 Cat’s living area 16
13 Vet’s office 14 Cat’s bathtub 15 Cat’s ward
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16 Cat’s walkway 12 11
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Lighting Plan_ G/F
Scale bar
Scale : 1:100@A3
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Spotlight
Fluorescent tube
10m
Floor lamp
Lighting Plan_ 1/F
Scale bar
Scale : 1:100@A3
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Spotlight
Fluorescent tube
10m
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Elevation _ North-east
Scale bar
Scale : 1:100@A3
Scale bar
10m
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20m
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Elevation _ South-east
Scale bar
Scale : 1:100@A3
Scale bar
10m
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20m
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Elevation _ North-west
Scale bar
Scale : 1:100@A3
Scale bar
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Elevation _ South-west
Scale bar
Scale : 1:100@A3
Scale bar
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Section_ AA (Human + Cat)
Scale bar
Scale : 1:100@A3
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10m
WAVERLEY BUILDING NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY
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Common area 1
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Double height space
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Basement
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Cat’s meetina room
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Vet’s office
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Cat’s walkway
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Sky light
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Yoga classroom 2
Section_ BB
Scale bar
Scale : 1:100@A3
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10m
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4 2 1
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Corridor
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Sky light
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Common area 2
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Cat’s walkway
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Yoga class Entrance
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Isometric Scale : NTS
Roof
Cat’s walkway Human’s walkway
1/F
G/F
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Isometric Scale : NTS
Visual (Side view) Double Height Space : Common Area 1 The original building is quite small. In order to make the interior look larger and have a better feeling of space, the common area is designed as a double-height space. After entering from the entrance, the visitor will see the window on the first floor and the cat’s walkway above. The common area has some cat-related furniture, such as seat and cat’s walkway, which allows visitors to know the use and theme of the building through these designs.
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Visual (Human) G/F_Common Area 1
The cat’s paw-shaped seat can be used by people, and there some space below for cat toilets or other things, a place for cats to use only. Cats and people are sharing the same space, but they are actually different. In fact, cats have special walkways on the ceiling, stairs and wooden levels on the walls. Humans mainly walk on the ground, while cats use ceilings and walls.
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Visual (Human) 1/F_Cat’sLiving Area
The special stairs for cats from the ground floor to the first floor, so the cat would not use the same passage as humans. Here is a small space for cats to hide, because there may be some cats who don’t like being too close to humans. The top of the wall has a few square wooden boxes as a cat shelter, and the wooden cabinets at below have cat toilets hidden in them, the cat through the cabinet by the circular hole in and out.
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Visual (Human) G/F_Cat Rescue’ Meeting Room
This room is for cat rescue organizations. They may need a convenient place on the ground floor to help stray cats in an emergency. It can also provide a place for adopters to communicate with the organization. This place needs some privacy, but because the building area is not large, a simple glass wall is used as a partition. There has a hole for the cat to go through, which was originally a window, but now connects the old and new parts of the building.
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Visual (Human) G/F_Pantry
Opposite the meeting room is a pantry, which can provide some drinks and snacks to visitors. It is located between two common areas and is convenient for yoga students and cat rescued visitors to use together. A simple white finish and wood grain tabletop are the main elements in the pantry, its overall feeling is natural and calm. Some wooden cabinets have doors and some are open shelves, doors can protect objects from cats and their fur, and some commonly used items can be placed on open shelves.
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Visual (Human) Entrance 2
Entering the building from the side door, visitors will see the extension part and skylights. A lot of sunlight can enter the room through the glass, forming a unique shadow with the tree and wooden beam.
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Visual (Human) Yoga Recption
The yoga reception desk is by the window of common area 2, which can be seen through from the glass wall from the outdoor. Behind the reception area is a few level of bookshelves which extending from the cat’s walkway, it can hold documents and books, and can also be used for cats. The reception desk is 1.2 meters high, which is convenient for yoga students to inquire or check when they stand at the front of the desk.
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Visual (Human) Common Area 2
Looking up from the ground, you will see the wooden beams and glass skylights on the roof. A lot of sunlight enters common area 2 from here. This is another double-height space in this building. The height of the space increases, and the space will feel larger. The wooden beams above can be used freely by cats, and cat toys, such as twine ropes, can be added between the beams for climbing.
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Visual (Human) Common Area 2
The outdoor natural environment connecting to the indoor by the large size of glass walls, the boundary between indoor and outdoor is gradually blurred. The extension is surrounded by trees and plants, and the glass windows are shaded by leaves in summer and will not be exposed directly by sunlight, so it will not be too hot like a greenhouse. Cats can climb to the wooden beams on the first floor from the cat walkway or tree trunks, they can brave the sun and rest on the top. Humans can look at cats from another angle in the common area 2.
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Visual (External View)
In order to preserve the original environment of the park as much as possible, there is a tree in common area 2, which has become one of the features in the building. The trunk is in the interior, and the leaves come out from the sloping roof, like a natural roof.
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Visual (External View)
In order to reduce the height difference of the floor, the extension part and the original backyard are on the same plane. Therefore, part of the garden and earth was moved, there has some distance from the plants, and a path was reserved to the extended side door.
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Visual (Cat) In terms of color perception, cats can only recognize two colors: yellow and blue. As for red and green, cats are almost indistinguishable these two colors will only show yellow in the cat’s eyes. The colorful world we see is just some monotonous color in the eyes of a cat. Cats can only see a distance of tens of centimeters to a few meters in front of them because they are born with myopia. But cats are better at looking at objects in motion and can easily catch up with moving targets. For example, a person who sits still is blurred in the eyes of a cat; a woman who is walking appears very clear in the eyes of a cat. The cat is one of the main characters in this project, some spaces and designs also only exist for them. So some visual of cats are provided. Human Visual
Cat Visual
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Visual (Cat) G/F_Common Area 1
Visual (Human)
This is a view looking down from the cat‘s stairs. Many cats like to stay high place and observe other people’s or cats’ activities. At the same time, this location is facing the entrance, every visitor who enters from there will have the opportunity to face the cat.
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Visual (Cat) G/F_Common Area 2
Visual (Human)
This is the view looking down from the wooden beam. Many cats are very agile, they are good at jumping and climbing. Cats will enjoy playing on the cat’s walkway and wooden beams. This location faces common area 2, where humans and cats can meet and play.
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Visual (Cat) G/F_Common Area 2
Visual (Human)
This is the view looking down from the wooden beam. Here have good sunlight, and cats can take a nap here without being disturbed by humans and other cats. Under normal circumstances, a healthy cat can safely jump down to the ground from a height of about three meters, so the height of this wooden beam is safe for cats.
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Final Model
Model Scale 1:50
Top View
North-east View
Notth-west View
South-west View
South-east View
Side View
43 Corridor (G/F)
Cat;s ward (1/F)
Common area 2 (G/F)
Common area 1 (G/F)
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Final Model _ Common area 2
Model Scale 1:20
Top View
North-east View
Notth-west View
South-west View
South-east View
Side View
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Final Model _ Site model Model Scale 1:100
Top View
South View
South View
Nouth-west View
West View
Side View