kyra component 1

Interior and Architectual DesignComponent 1

Kyra Petrou

Design Brief

Community Centre

In this project, I plan to redevelop a plot of neglected land lacking purpose and character into a vibrant and inclusive space.. I aim to turn this into a place for the community for the ultimate purpose of providing a safe environment, welcoming students from local institutions to socialise, study and take advantage of the facilities. I would like to design a place that can become a focal point for the neighbourhood, inhabiting a sense of pride, connectivity, and opportunity for the younger generation. During this project I aim to help to reduce the number of children hanging about in unsafe areas, exposed to street crime and preventing them of being victims of other crimes during after school hours. By providing a safe space for young individuals to be creative and grow, I hope to reduce likeliness of students getting involved with gang related crime, creating an overall safer community.

Design specification:

• Educational facilities- computing rooms, library, study rooms

• Fitness facilities- indoor gym, outdoor sport areas, playground for children and families.

• Social Areas- indoor and outdoor seating areas, café snack bar.

• Multifunctional rooms- multifaith space, reflection room, events room.

Location

My chosen site is located between multiple educational institutions, I have intentionally done this as within my research i noticed there is nowhere in the local community providing a space for students during afterschool hours. Therefor I aim to create a place within walking distance of the college and schools, this is important to my project as I aim to promote environmental sustainability within it therefore choosing an appropriate location to help avoid students travelling far to attend .

6038m2

The total area of the plot of land I found is 6038m2 therefore I only plan on redeveloping part of the land into my youth centre preserving the rest as a functioning field/park besides it to preserve the nature and wildlife

Location Research

Whilst trying to choose a location for my site I mapped out the local area and researched the surrounding buildings and their functions. During this research I found that within this small area of the community there is 3 educational institutions and many residential areas. Following this information, I investigated communal areas available to students and found that there was one church allowing access and the rest of the area was predominately building and construction sites. The closest youth centre is a 30minute bus ride away from this location therefor I wanted to create a safe space for students within walking distance.

Education

Work and construction sites

Community buildings

Residential and Housing

The Local Area

Royals Youth Centre

As research for my project, I've decided to investigate other spaces providing for youths in the local community, to get a closer idea of what aspects need improvement or what is missing within my own projects. One of these locations is royals' youth centre in Rainham (the closest active youth centre to my site).

During my research I discovered although they are open to 8–19-year-olds in the community they can only attend at set times provided for each age and have one activity set for their time slot.

To avoid creating this issue in my design I will allow all ages access at all times and will not limit them to set times or days.

Themes

I've decided to follow a theme that embraces and portrays the sustainability I seek to achieve with the location of my site. For this reason, I have chosen to have nature and organic as my project theme.

I would like to further explore organic forms to influence structures throughout my site such as pavilions, shelters, building exterior and interior. I seek to have my site saturated in greenery, nature and wildlife. Since the surrounding area of my site has a lot of Contruction and lacks character, I feel this is highly important to stand out creating an inviting space to the community. The effect I'm aiming to achieve through my chosen themes is a contrast between the hard and dryness of my organic structures including a touch of urban décor, lifted up with the surrounded warmth of nature,

I feel this theme would create a calm and welcoming habitat for students who intent to study and relax at the centre. This project would also be a great opportunity to promote environmental sustainability to the younger community.

Natural and Organic Forms

The building is 112 metres tall and the structure its self is a very shape edgy form

By covering the building it creates a soft warm feeling in comparison to the building without the nature showing the effect greenery of buildings can have.

Incorporating Greenery within architecture

I researched into other ways of incorporating organic and nature into a building without using the physical shape. The vertical forest is a high rise tower that is covered in greenery and wildlife. With thousands of different species of plants and even providing grass balconanys with trees. They also used privacy glass barriers with nature prints frosted into the glass which I found a nice subtle detail.

SECONDARY RESEARCH

Los Angeles LGBT+ Centre

This is the second building I researched into. The exterior design of the Los Angeles LGBT Center is characterized by its modern and inviting appearance. the general principles of the center's architectural design are aimed at creating an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere. Its exterior has a combination of curving edges and harsh corners accompanies by circular imprints

As you walk through the building there are nature and wildlife cubes that are full of greenery, these outdoor areas have been incorporated into the design to provide socialization and seating areas surrounded by beautiful landscaping. There are also larger nature cubes that provide spaces for performances and events.

Heydar Aliyev Centre

The Heydar Aliyev Centre is situated in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital. The structure, created by renowned architect Zaha Hadid, is a multipurpose cultural centre honoring Heydar Aliyev, the third President of Azerbaijan, and his life and legacy. The Centre has a number of amenities inside, such as exhibition areas, meeting rooms, a library, a museum, and other features. The interior areas are open, well-lit by natural light, and have a spacious layout. Aesthetic appeal is increased by the presence of well-kept landscaped areas, gardens, walkways, and water features on the center's outside. The structure is illuminated at night, highlighting its distinctive architectural characteristics and producing an alluring visual display.

The Heydar Aliyev centre's window structure and framing take a geometric shape contrasting with the organic flow of the rest of building site. The windows cover a large spreads of the building, revealed by the flowing exterior structure that appears to drape like silk. The cladding walls have contour lines across the entirety of the flowing roof top and walls to help exaggerate the curves.

The centre's design stands out due to its smooth curves, fluid and organic form. The building appears to flow seamlessly, without sharp edges or corners, creating a sensed harmony through the continue flow. The seamless curves give the centre a sculptural appearanceand striking presence.

Heydar Aliyev Centre is designed to integrate with the surrounding environment. The building's curves and waves mimic the rolling hills of Baku, creating a visual connection with the city's scenery. The seamless design helps the building fit harmoniously in with its surrounding natural landscape.

Lotus Temple

The design of the building was inspired by the lotus flower. The building is made up of 27 free-standing marble petals arranged to form the 9 sides of the temple. The central worship hall inside is 40m high and has capacity for 2,500 people.

The Lotus Temple is a Bahá' House of Worship that was established in December 1986 and is situated in New Delhi, India. It is notable for having a lotus-like shape and has grown to be a well-known landmark in the city. The Lotus Temple is open to everyone, regardless of religion, as are all Bahá' Houses of Worship.

To further develop my own model, I have taken the shapes and forms I could find from the lotus temple. I will use these shapes to help inspire a pattern plan view or incorporate it further into my model creations and development.

The exterior design takes inspiration from the lotus flower, which holds cultural and religious significance in India, representing purity, beauty, and the interconnectedness of different faiths. The temple resembles a blooming lotus by using individual freestanding, white marble petals arranged in clusters of three which form nine sides.

The lotus temple is surrounded by pools of water with 9 bridges

The structure of the temple consists of a steel framework covered with white marble cladding. The petals are made of precast concrete and also covered with a layer of white marble.

SECONDARY RESEARCH- spiral staircases

On the exterior balcony of the 1st floor there will be a stair case that leads to the 2nd floor outdoor area. Researching into organic shapes and natural forms such as the rose flower I was inspired the incorporate a spiral stair case to embody an organic yet modern style stair.

In the middle of the spiraling stair cases I am going to display a set of plants in vases to tie into the theme of nature

More the material of my stair case I am going to use a glass to match in line with the other glass aspects on building such as the railings and the windows and doors

I feel this is also a clean contrast with the rustic organic aspects of the rest of the exterior

PRIMARY RESEARCH

Colour pallet

This flower outline of this flowers could represent the organic shape of a building and the petals used as room divides

Colour pallet

The way the petals fall in a spiral flow could be used as a kind of flow system with greenery and outdoor seating all spiralling into the middle with the main building

Colour pallet

This succulent plant can be used as a structural form for a pavilion, by taking apart the shapes I can see and following the flow of the petals

This flower could be used to inspire a plan view of the building, the petals representing the different floors

Colour pallet

Floor 2

Floor 1

Floor 2

Floor 3

Floor 3

Succulent Plant Development

To create my first model I was inspired from my flower forms research and took apart the flower petals to see what organic shapes I could see and further develop them

Models 1 and 2 -

Developmentof flowers

Primary photo

Initial sketch

Development sketch

Simplified shapes

Plan view

Detailed Plan view

Model 2

flip

Experimenting with model

Model 1

Detailed

Simplified shapes

Model 1

This is the outcome of my first model. It was inspired by the form of flowers and feature's petal like forms in a circular shape to create a pavilion that could possibly have window installed to be developed into a building. The plan view of the model shows a very literal representation of the flower and the layers within it.

I like the form of the bottom of the model but feel although the second floor is too impractical for a community centre and would like to further develop it into a room that can have more usage

Model 2

This is my second model I have redeveloped from my initial model, to create this model I changed the direction the petal like forms sat upon top floor to give it an enclosed roof with more sheltering.

When making my model I decided to use a mesh material to incorporate into the petals, this could represent the sheer deleicate nature of flower petals

Model 3

This is my third model I have designed within the process of creating my final model. This model is inspired by my research of leaves and their forms. The model features organic and flowing shapes throughout the model that resemble the curves, contours found in various leaves. I have incorporated These forms into the structure of my pavilion.

Side Elevations

Despite liking the shape and form of the flowing leaf like structures I would like to further develop these into new models and explore what they would look like as waved walls or ceilings

To emphasize the concept of using leaves within my model I will make the model from sustainable and renewable materials that align with the concept of using nature as an inspiration. This might include using recycled components, eco-friendly materials, or investigating biodegradable and bio-based materials with low environmental impact.

The plan view of my model shows a clear representation of my inspiration of leaves and their true form

For my future models I would like to represent them in a more organic and flowing form rather than the very structured appearance it currently has

Model 4

This is my 4th model I have made, this model has been developed from model 3 and adapted into a natural free flowing structure with the intention of creating a model that can capture the feel of being under a pile of leaves.The shape of my model has will allow plenty of light while casting shadow, replicating how trees reflect sunlight and casting fascinating patterns.

The model not only features leaved shaped gentle wavy structures but also harsh ridged wire structures that loop in and out between the leaves tying the model together. These wired frames are designed to represent the ridged edges you find across leaves and much more within nature.

This is how the functioning model would appear, I like this model as an outdoor pavilion. I feel although it blends seamlessly into the nature surrounding due the organic structure and flowing form of the model.

These are the shapes I have incorporated throughout my model, consisting of varies waved flowing forms that are bent and adapted within my structures.

Model 5

This is my fifth model I have made in the process of developing my final model. Currently this model appears in the form of a pavilion lacking coverage and space for the type of building I plan to make. To further develop this model, I will make it more habitable as develop it it into a building structure rather than an outdoor space. Despite this not being practical as a building in this form, It could be used within the outdoor spaces of my model.

To use this form through the outdoor within my model I will extend the model to a squarer shape rather than rectangular to allow the shelter be more efficient and cover more ground allowing me to place seating or a playground

The pavilion features a variety of repeated waves, creating a dynamic and flowing structure. The waves vary in size height and depth resulting in the desired organic form. The shape of the waves I use throughout the model will consist of gentle or more dramatic and pronounced waves to create a more effective and contrasted appearance.

I have drawn elevations to represent each individual pavillion this helps me to determined how they can be placed together and work as functioning multistorey building rather than shelter. In my next model I plan to recreate the shape and form of this model within a building structure

Model 6

For my 6th model, I have taken the form of model 5 and developed it into a functioning building rather than a shelter. I felt the shape and flow had more potential if I thickened out the structure and placed walls rather than as a pavilion.

Model 7

This is my seventh and final model for the community youth centre. Like the previous model it consist of three layers, rather than having them previously vertical that allowing for little space within the centre I opted for a horizonal stack allowing you to see each floor individually as it is surrounded by outdoor space.

I have taken the concept of leaf like structures and curves and put them in to the structural design of my walls, they each overlap with different organic curves and bends.

I have added beam like structures to help breakup the outdoor spaces and help certain areas feel more private as well as adding to structural purposes.

Since I plan on having plenty of outdoor space incorporated into my design, I will have an outdoor staircase from the lower garden to the upper garden. The staircase itself is inspired by the spiral structure of a rose within my previous research.

Floor Plan

This is a simple floor plan showing the different floors by colour code, on the second floor there are various locations that are not supported by the ground floor below, these areas will be supported by beams and serve as outdoor shelter that provides seating

I plan on incorporating vegetation and greenery throughout the entirety of my building. Having my buildings physical form inspired by various elements of nature. I would also like to dress the building with outdoor grass roovesand flooring, vine leaves and exhibit as much nature as I can surrounding. Whilst having an aesthetically pleasing appearance it is also great for the environment and community. The surrounding greenery can help to attract and home wildlife, contributing improving the biodiversity. Having lots of plants and trees will help provide habitats for insects and birds helping create a healthy ecosystemwithin urban areas. By featuring rooftop gardens, it provides a great place for socialisation within a community. By surrounding my building with nature and wildlife it is very appropriate considering the concept of my design brief which aims to provide educational facilities. Nature is proven to amplify creativity and mental wellbeing, helping concentration for those that plan on studying at the building I am designing.

Final Model Development

The centre will be saturated in greenery with hanging vine leaves planted pats and featured plants

Featuring outdoor natural grass areas throughout the centre

I plan on using a variety of woods and organic materials to give a natural rustic feel

There will be plenty of windows and natural light sources throughout the building

Sheltered outdoor and indoor seating

I filled the sketchup with several plants bushes flowers and vine leaves surrounding the building, tying the building into the surrounding nature

This is the final sketchup model of my design. The exterior of my model consists of two types of woods, I had wooden slabs surrounding the two bottom floors and thin wooden panelling on the top floor to help break up the design. The decision to use wood as my primary building material was made for the purpose of following the organic theme as I felt it best tied in with the design and leaf inspired concept of the building. I also decided to add in some more modern elements in the design such as a glass staircase and railings, this fit in with the large open window and helped to enhance the appearance of the more natural organic materials. Such as grass rooves and a roof top garden.

Furnishing

To furnish my building I wanted to keep the on going theme of the curved organic flowing shape, mimicking the shapes found within nature. To do this I aimed to use pieces with rounded corners and curved shapes to create a visual harmony between the building and its furnature. Whilst doing this I also aimed for furnature pieces that could be ecofriendly and nontoxic to the wildlife such as woods, wicker and bamboo also helping to give a warm welcoming feel. Throughout the design I tried to keep to an earthy colour pallet to reflect the theme, focusing my colours on greens beiges and browns.