Evaluation of Term 3 Confirmatory Stage The aim of my project was to redevelop a local disused building into a music venue for young people in the area, changing both the exterior and the interior. I began with researching two different buildings on an old US air force base and, after looking at the advantages and disadvantages for each one, I chose to redevelop the derelict control tower. I am glad that I made this decision as the building was a perfect size for all of the rooms I wanted to include in my design, as well as being a visually interesting building with large windows and a traditional red brick exterior. I could see the potential in it from the start. The research stage was the most important part of my project, thus I spent the most time on it. To make it more manageable I split it into two parts: exterior research and interior research. Firstly, however, I researched the history of the building and its surroundings, which was definitely valuable as in doing this I found some really interesting history about Greenham Common; in particular the Women’s Peace Protest in the 1980’s. After researching this I felt strongly that this was something I needed to incorporate into my design and over the course of the research stage I looked at different ways I could do this. One of my favourites was the fabric piece I made with Dylon Image Maker, as I think this looks really stunning. By printing the photographs in this way they have a unique texture and look worn and faded, representative of the history they’re portraying. The peace garden was another idea that I felt was very successful, as it represents two important themes in the project: peace and nature. However, if I was to do this project again I would’ve liked to have spent more time researching and developing the peace garden area, perhaps expanding it and adding walkways, stones etc. As just mentioned, nature was another important theme in my project and during the research stage I looked at green walls by Patrick Blanc. I found these really interesting and visually stunning, so I was inspired to incorporate them into my design. I was also inspired by nature when researching pergola ideas and by carrying out this research it really made me think about the different shapes in nature and how these can be incorporated into amazing pieces of architecture. I definitely felt that during the research stage I explored a wide range of ideas rather than being restricted; for example I also looked at completely different and much more modern pergola and canopy ideas such as the Google building design. Doing this helped me think of concepts I would never have thought of before, and even though I may not have used them in my final design, it made me realise it is important to open your mind to all possibilities and consider a range of different options. At the end of my research stage I created a moodboard which showed the ideas which I would take forward to the development stage. I chose to present these on a chalkboard, as I’d researched these and knew I wanted to use them in my final design. I used chalk to write on what I felt were important themes in my project; peace, nature, colour and industrial. I think my moodboard is successful in showing the ideas I planned to take forward and I feel I’ve presented these in a range of different ways which makes the overall moodboard exciting and interesting. There’s different textures such as wood and fabric, and images printed using Dylon Image Maker. There’s also metal chicken wire which represents the fencing I planned to use, and leaves painted with the colours I wanted to include. There’s
bright colour and pattern, inspired by 70’s themes, and the fabric heart represents the theme of peace and love. The industrial theme of my project was a style that was present throughout the research and the development stages, from researching recycled houses to looking at industrial style furniture and lighting fixtures. Looking back I strongly feel that this was the right theme for the building; it suited the building’s history as a control tower used during the war and is a scheme that I knew would appeal to the young adult target audience. This theme really gave the building character. For example, when looking at the final design for the exterior of the building I feel that the use of recycled and slightly worn, industrial materials enhances the character the building already had, complimenting and fitting in with the original brickwork. It was important to me that I didn’t spoil the building’s original features and take away its heritage completely, which I why I chose to keep the original windows and most of the original brickwork. I didn’t want to completely change the exterior, instead I wanted to develop what was already there to create a more eye-catching and modern structure, and I feel that I did this successfully. The idea of retaining the building’s originality but also making it modern was also relevant to the interior. When using industrial, traditional features I felt that it was important to balance them with more vibrant, modern objects and colours. This was so that the interior didn’t look too dull, and appealed to younger people, and I feel that I did this successfully. A good example of this is when looking at the café area which I designed on Sketchup. I’ve used more industrial, worn colours and textures such as wood, copper, denim, blackboard, riveted metal and piping, then combined it with contemporary and colourful patterns and 1970’s inspired flooring. This created a café area which I was really pleased with; it was bold and exciting, combining a range of different styles which work really well together and an area I feel would be perfect for young people to socialise in. I applied this balance between old and new to all of the interiors which I designed, which in turn created a cohesive scheme throughout the building. During the development stage many of my interiors were designed using Sketchup, a program with I really enjoyed learning to use. Although I found it quite challenging to use at first, with practise I improved and was able to use it confidently. This program allowed me to bring my ideas and sketches to life in 3D, showing the details of a space at different angles. I’m glad that I used the program as it offers an alternative to drawings, and using both of them together shows the development of an idea from the first sketch to the final, full colour, 3D image. As well as the interior and décor of the building there were also the practical aspects which I had to consider, like the floor plans. I hadn’t drawn floor plans before, so I learnt a lot from this part of the project. When designing the layout I aimed to keep the smaller rooms like the toilets and storage areas together, allowing for big open spaces elsewhere. I aimed to create a practical layout and I think I succeeded at this; there are large, amounts of indoor space as well as outdoor balcony areas on either side, and the smaller rooms are kept together at one end on both the ground floor and the first floor allowing for a large stage area and a large café/seating area. The usable space on the first floor was extended by the
addition of two pergolas, where my aim was to design areas that were not only functional but that would enhance the overall appearance of the exterior of the building. As well as using floor plans, Sketchup and drawings I also used collage and my own photographs in my work. I spent time looking at different fabrics which gave me ideas about how they could be used in different ways; for example I used denim to create a peace dove, and this was a piece I thought looked really impressive and was a good example of contemporary art. Overall I have really enjoyed this project and I particularly liked being able to take control of it and choose what my project would be. By writing my statement of intent at the beginning I was able to plan and outline the steps I would take to get to the final outcome, and I feel that I have followed my statement of intent closely whilst still coming up with new ideas and inspiration along the way, such as learning to use Sketchup. I am also really happy with the quality of my work, and in particular the final outcome drawings. These are definitely some of the best drawings I have ever produced, showing lots of fine detail, neat accuracy and bold colour. I feel happy with the layout and presentation also; I’ve included a mixture of different sized images, my own photographs are printed on photo paper and I feel that the majority of the pages are colourful, busy and have a mixture of images, drawings and annotation. However, if I were to improve the layout and presentation I would do so with the development stage, as I would’ve liked to include some more textures and collages. In terms of architecture and interior design I have learnt many new skills from this project, in particular drawing skills. I’ve learnt how to draw floor plans, as well as producing some high quality drawings of the building – there is clear progression in the quality and range of my drawings from the start to finish of my project and I feel it’s something that’s improved hugely. I’ve also learnt how to use Sketchup, a program which was completely new to me, and I’ve loved being able to design the interior of the building as interior design is my passion and something I plan to go on and study.
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