Poiesis 2 portfolio

Yifan Wu

Poiesis II Portfolio, Coordinator Tommy CheeMou Yang

the Glass Atelier

Instructor Nickie Cheung, Colin Cusimano

PROJECT NARRATIVE

When studying the Pittsburgh Glass Center, consideration is given to how it evolved from a single-use factory to a multifunctional community space with a gallery, studio, and workshop. Several flows can occur inside thanks to the multipurpose element, which creates overlapping places where people can engage. A dynamic ground floor and static upper floors result from Lower Lawrenceville’s use of the first floor for retail and the upper floors for homes. This contrast motivates me to design a space where interaction can take place in a two-flow system on both the horizontal and vertical axes.

My design is called “Glass Atelier”; the word “Atelier” is French for “workshop” or “studio,” a homage to the building’s use as a live-work environment for makers and artists. The inclusion of the word “glass” in the name emphasizes the gallery’s focus on glass art and lends the name a unique and memorable aspect. Overall, “The Glass Atelier” has a refined and artistic vibe that can be appealing to both locals and tourists.

Historical Trade & Characters

Pittsburgh Glass Center undergoes a transformation from a single used factory to a multifunctional community space including the workshop, gift shop, gallery and studio. The aspect of mutifunctional allows different flows of different users differentiating the public and private space. The overlapping of the flow is where interaction takes place.

Parti & Experiments

Learning from the site of Lawrenceville, the ground floor is for commercial and dinning use, which is relatively more dynamic. The upper floor is majorly for residential use, which is more static. A gap between the ground floor and upper floor occurs and it lacks interaction in the middle. The finding makes me to create a space that let interaction happens in the middle of both horizontal and vertical axis.

Final Design

Aiming to create a two-flow system for both public and private area, an oblique and angled structure is deisgned which fuctions as an interacting space. On the first floor, it’s a workshop where the grandparents teach classes for the public. On the second floor, it’s a gallery where the parents plan the exhibitions for the public.

Actor Network Drawing