Component 1 by rosiea1

Interior and Architectural Design: Component 1: Part 1 Rosie Anderson

Design Brief: For this project, I will be redeveloping a local telephone exchange into a creative arts space for the local community. Hornchurch has a long tradition of creative arts within this locality with the Queen’s Theatre and Fairkytes Arts Centre. An accessible making space, exhibition area that is fit for purpose is lacking. I will look to redesign the connectivity of the aforementioned in addition to the new creative arts space. Located on North Street, one of Hornchurch’s most busy roads, the telephone exchange has provided little to no architectural aesthetic, similar to the variety of architecture surrounding the site. As a product, this area has felt disconnected for decades, and I want to reignite the passion for the arts through the site’s redevelopment. My chosen theme is natural and organic; this will extend the natural landscape that Langton’s Park provides, through to the visible Hornchurch. Also, given that there is no natural architecture in Hornchurch, this design should catch the attention of passers-by.

Specification: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Multi use large spaces Workshops/making spaces Learning/educational spaces Washroom facilities (male, female and disabled toilets) Disability access Smaller multi-functional spaces to cater for other/commercial events Indoor and outdoor seating Outdoor spaces for classes and productions Has relations to the architecture and history of Hornchurch A set of studios that can be rented by companies/artists Several entrance points for artists and staff Adapt the landscaping and façade of the Queen’s Theatre and Fairkytes Arts Centre to connect the 3 sites Reuse the existing structure as much as possible

Hornchurch Telephone Exchange The telephone exchange in Hornchurch was built in 1958, where functionality was at the for-front of design. It’s extensive row of windows across every wall makes the design predictable, with it appearing to contain several small offices and long narrow corridors. During the 1950s, architecture resembled exactly this idea, with no element of surprise or differentiation from other buildings. This meant that any still standing have become a blur in locals' peripheral vision, where the blocks of white and brick create no connection with the world around.

There is a road that runs to the right of the site, separating it from the library. This is frequently used by visitors to the library as well as residents of the flats behind. Because of this, I cannot just focus on the front aesthetics, but its appearance from every angle. Of the existing structure, there are 2 sections that dominate; the long narrow extension across the front, East-facing side, and the rectangular building perpendicular to that on the right-hand side. I believe the concept of the front is very effective as it is only 1 storey, so it is therefore at eye-level with passersby and could be one of the most effective ways to attract the public.

From walking past the site, I have found that there is a lift occupying the protruding part of the taller structure. This will still be a necessity in my design so I will not be removing it.

Area (including landscape): 3,217.02 m^2 Perimeter (including landscape); 228.85 m Perimeter (excluding landscape): 191.4 m

The site has a large car park that surrounds the back of the building. Considering the fact Sainsbury's lies across the road, having a capacity of a few hundred cars, this site would not need a car park this big, if at all.

Close to the site are many schools, having students from primary up to sixth form years. North Street is one of the main roads used by the students to get to and from school, and so this redevelopment won’t go unnoticed. For friendship groups or parents/guardians with their children this centre could be a great social space to learn and for them to explore their creativity. Given this, the site should run events at times after school and work for every age group to get involved, and will be a safe space for older children/teenagers to be when school ends. Because of the many schools, if this space has enough good quality facilities then some of the rooms could be rented out by the schools so they can run their own creative events, with the access of the arts centre’s facilities and equipment.

Havering Sixth Form College

Bus stop where both Emerson Park Academy and Campion School students get off and walk down North Street to the town centre

Langtons Primary School

Building is most visible from main road and side road

Residential houses

Fire station

Queen’s Theatre

Surrounding the site of the Telephone Exchange is mostly residential homes and other community driven spaces, such as the Queen’s Theatre, the Library and Fairkytes Arts Centre. Knowing this and that it lies on North Street (a main road running off of the town centre) this building is evidently seen by many people. Currently the architecture is not admired by the majority, so I want to create a bold yet also welcoming design, so that these people are inclined to visit the centre.

Library Residential flats

Residential houses

1 2 2

3 4

5 6

8 9 10

Emerson Park Station

Large residential areas

Langtons Gardens

Telephone Exchange

Sainsbury’s Car Park

Langtons Primary School

Hornchurch Town Centre

St Andrew’s Church

Harrow Lodge Park

Upminster Bridge Station

Queen’s Theatre: Across the road lies the Queen’s Theatre, a large, early 1950s structure that draws hundreds of people to the area each week. Its design is also practically dominant, whereby the building has a distinct format and lacks structural interest. With only the use of straight line, creating squares and rectangles, this piece of architecture has no connection with Langtons Park or any other building locally. The designer’s use of grey-toned brick depletes the building of any colour or youth, despite the large number of younger generations that visit.

The placement of the letter Q, ensures that the theatre is visible from far distances, made effective by the slow incline of the surrounding streets. Despite the brutal nature of the architecture, I really love the community that has been created from this theatre. I believe that corresponds with Langtons Park and would only be enhanced with the addition of a creative arts space.

Fairkytes Arts Centre: Further West, across the road from the Queen’s Theatre, lies Fairkytes Arts Centre, a multi-functional community hall. It provides space for clubs, musical lessons, exercise classes and several more community driven events. The architecture however doesn’t bring much to the local environment, and with the common red/brown brick used for the majority of the exterior I believe it has become an unnoticeable building. Because of this, I would like to include a small restoration of these buildings to add value and compliment the new development, and bring the existing vibe of the centre to the outside.

Langtons Gardens: Behind Fairkytes Arts Centre lies Langtons Gardens. It is home to a 17th Century Manor House surrounded by a lake and open spaces. There are sections of the park that feel private, where benches are cleverly placed, however there is a large open green space that has views of the House and the Lake, perfect for the community. This lake is one of the most noticeable features of the site upon arrival, and so I want to start by taking my inspiration from that.

It is important for me to draw inspiration from the local environment as it will be a great indicator to how successful the design is. Unified architecture creates harmony and a feeling of comfort, and so because this space is dedicated to the local community I want them to be able to familiarise themselves with it.

Here are 4 very simple tensile structures based on the rippling of water, and the various heights of the water level as these ripples travel. 3 of them follow this concept to a tee, with the only difference being the shapes of each curve, however the last model was constructed from the left over material and stretched across a metal bar that mimics the concept. I am intrigued by the openness of it (given that the others are closed structures) and how it’s unusual form would work in context of my space. I also love the exposed metal bar in contrast with the fabric.

The models I have made have led me to the concept of creating a very organic, smooth structure that would lay over the existing structure of the site. I want to explore this idea of an over-lay in more detail to fully understand how it will complement the existing building. Out of the 4 models I have decided to follow the sketch draw above from model 1, while keeping the other concepts in mind as I believe it can bring the best potential out of this redevelopment. The extended part of the idea I have right now may create problems with parking spaces, so this may have to be compromised (or created into a pavilion like I have sketched). Next I plan to create some models based on the idea above, so I can find a more definitive form and then develop it into a useable space.

The first set of images are of a model made from laying paper clay over a plaster/clay mould, which then set. Based on the idea of flow, this model allowed me to see my intentions with the design so I can then imagine it in context. The second set is a continuous line of string wrapped around the same mould (dipped in wax that set) to take the idea of layering more literally. Placing it on a light-box allowed me to see the impact of the light shining through the gaps, a feature which I would like to focus more on in the development of my idea.

After looking into the site, I understand that there is a car park to the rear with a large capacity, currently for the several BT vans on site. This dedicated space now has the possibility to hold events and activities outdoors, acting as an extension of the interior.

Because of the scale of this idea it must have a framework to hold the weight of the pavilion. The existing structure will have its own steel beams for support, and so I want to use that as inspiration for the support of my structure. I think it would be great to have a row of curved beams, all unique in shape. This could be visible from the interior and the pavilion would rest upon it. What will be challenging going froward in this project is the material that a shape like this would be made out off. There are many examples of architects who creates design of this nature, but differently they have huge budgets. My site in the centre of Hornchurch is of a much smaller scale in every way. This is another reason to explore the use of beams that run across the existing structure, as a way to simplify the build, but while keeping its bold nature.

Attempting to merge the 2 ideas together, as neither were at the right point, allowed me to make use of their best qualities. I used the elevated and curved plan view of the paper clay model, and kept the idea of the gaps from a long repetition of material. I think it should be best to try out this model in a site plan to understand how it will work with the existing structure.

I have decided to focus on changing the front section of the building as I am finding it challenging to incorporate the taller building into the design (it is 2 storeys higher than the front building). I believe the best way to approach the design now is to use the structure I have here and find a way of rejuvenating the outside of the taller building, making sure it matches.

This is the model and actual structure of the theatre in Montelimar. The architecture had a very similar starting structure to that in my site from the one storey building linked to a 3 storey building. Key to this design is the vertical cladding planned to cover the taller building and flow into the main.

Using this concept in my site, I have found that there are certain areas that are not covered by the cladding. I don’t want to overload the aesthetic by placing cladding on every exterior wall, however I do not want to keep the 1950s style of architecture that is currently there. I want to research some other ways of restoring the exterior, that will match with my idea so far.

To merge the front structure’s cladding with the other I have created a set of panels that shift by a constant angle each time, until it reaches the vertical. This has formed a really interesting geometric shape that I want to amplify in some way, creating a feature of it’s uniqueness.

Based off of the previous model and my research of the façade of Montelimar’s Theatre, I have created a very basic concept to repurpose the building. I love the idea of cladding the exterior with large panels, that can allow a lot of light to come through. Despite this, the design here is not architecturally interesting enough and I think the centre could lose a lot of visitors if the design doesn’t offer much aesthetically.

Using the inspiration from the first Sketchup model, I have created an archway made from individual panels of varied height and angle. This has formed a wonderful sheltered entrance way of great detail, and one that would impress the visitors from the minute they arrive. The structure’s arched form naturally hugs the entrance way, a feeling I want to emulate throughout the rest of the design.

I have 2 options here, to either keep this section as the entrance to the back of the site or block it, which would allow me to design a better connection to the back by potentially knocking part of the external, ground floor wall down.

The way that the panels vary in height and angle cleverly creates the appearance of curvature and flow. I want to scale this design up even more and so I would love to engulf this building in it’s form. The way the panels flatten as they reach the lower section of the building wouldn’t work visually looking from any angle as it would be just a flat surface. Despite having the arch, there would nothing else interesting to look at. Given this, it is evidently not the finished design so I want to explore the idea of extending it across the whole of the lower building if not the entire structure. I believe I have the chance to make this design bold and unlike the architecture currently in Hornchurch.

I decided to expose this side as the idea from the plan view didn’t work so well in elevation, the panels would have to be a lot taller and this would lose the visual flow I am trying to keep as well as having to strip too much away from the existing structure.

This section will have to be left uncladded and I could paint the brick (most likely in the colour black to draw attention away from it). Given that the exterior wall connected to the left of this section is also still exposed, I could also look at a way of integrating the redevelopment of that façade with this one.

The nature of this design means that the floor plan will not follow the same plan as the existing structure. This means that I will have to take down some of the external walls and extend to fit the lower building to the plan of the structure above.

London School of Economics: O’Donnell and Tuomey Architects Named the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre after a Professor at the school, this Central London based out building of LSE strikes passers-by every day with its geometric form and unusual choice of material. The façade is made from a red/brown brick, which may not seem peculiar at first thought but considering the irregular, geometric form this building takes, it is undoubtedly a masterpiece of construction.

Analysing the floor plan, I can see that upon entering the site there is a curved sofa that accommodates any people having to wait around. Although it is a small detail, it is quite important to have some areas to sit visitors as some of them may not have the ability to stand for long periods, or may want to relax for a moment. Whatever the reason, I believe this is a feature to consider when designing the interior. There are sets of lifts and stairs next to each other that are tucked away from the central area, however they are still visible and therefore are still statements in the open planned space.

Initially I have decided to use the geometric shape of the building to inspire a design for my floor plan. This is because I have found it hard to visualise how the space may work from a plan view, and the LSE building is successful in creating a well functioning space with the challenges of it’s nature. For each design I have found the problems that would occur and tried to resolve them in the following design. I have come to a final shape that encourages the welcoming entrance way previously created and brings to light the idea of creating a pavilion at the back of the site (as an extension of the front cladding) to provide some shelter for the activities that will take place.

The existing interior already contains a lift, and so it would make sense for me to place the staircase directly next to it. The ground floor space is quite limited and so tucking the staircase out of the way like this will ensure the interior is used effectively.

White Cube: Casper Mueller Kneer Architects Named the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre after a Professor at the school, this Central London based out building of LSE strikes passers-by every day with its geometric form and unusual choice of material. The façade is made from a red/brown brick, which may not seem peculiar at first thought but considering the irregular, geometric form this building takes, as well as the monochrome colour palette of the interior, it is undoubtedly a contrasting yet successful piece of architecture.

I want to make the most of this space and so I believe these stands must be moveable. To keep them stable I plan to have bolts that connect to the floor when it is a gallery, and for when it is not needed, they can be pushed aside, creating a large open space.

I believe the aspect to this space, making it such a successful gallery is the monochrome palette engulfing the interior. It allows each piece of artwork being shown the undistracted attention of every visitor, and means that the artwork creates an unintentional and individualised feeling around as if it was its own gallery. With my plans to provide a studio space and gallery to showcase local artists, I will definitely look to seek inspiration from this idea. However given the nature of the colour white being very bright to the eye, I may have to add hints of white approaching the gallery, as to not make it uncomfortable for the visitors.

Fab Labs: Abbreviated from fabrication laboratory, Fab Labs are a group of community driven spaces across the globe that enable individuals to design and create. They offer a wide range of courses and teaching sessions for anyone willing to learn from industry experienced teachers. Their sites inhabit several digital fabrications, specifically those that are not otherwise accessible for the majority of the public because of their social/economic status or the environment they live in. This means that locals who are less fortunate can make and create things for themselves and their family.

The Lab E20: RÆBURN The company RÆBURN recently collaborated with Get Living and Future City to showcase what their clothing brand does behind the scenes. The 3000sq ft space, based in East Village, Stratford, provides an area for creative individuals to learn. Their plan was to hold events, pop-up shops etc, allowing visitors to express themselves through textile design. All the materials used during the events are recycled or recyclable, which coincides with the ethics of the local area. RÆBURN have more events planned in Stratford, since their others have proven to be inspiring and educational.

These organisations are based on the expression of creativity and their charity has already had a profound effect on their visitors. They have provided an education in the field of creative arts for them, as to fill in the gaps of their knowledge, teaching them to explore and invent. The reason to analyse both of these organisations is to better understand how I can successfully encourage the local community of Hornchurch to visit the site, so to find their way of expressing creativity. I also want to give people, with no space to do so, a place to build, learn, and bond with their community.

Site floor plans:

After looking at other examples of creative art spaces, and creating a list of what is necessary for my site, I have designed the interior plans of each floor insuring I include them. The ground floor prioritises the movement of the visitors by keeping the centre of the space bare. As you enter there is a welcome desk to the left and a small café to the right, this café was fitted so visitors have a place to relax and grab any refreshments for their journey around the rest of the centre. Walking towards the gallery there are by-folding doors to the left, allowing access to the external space. This will also flood the centre with light and enforce a connection to the outside world.

The first floor plan shows an open spaced area for crafting and meetings, which leads straight off of the staircase. There is then a small corridor, where on the left is a more private room for crafting that will be used for the purpose of teaching individuals (sewing machines will be stored here) . Opposite that lies a small store room, followed by a large computer room with a table in the middle for group work. At the end of the corridor is the workshop, holding all of the machines I listed previously. This is one of most important features of the centre. My main reason for designing it was to provide workshops, making rooms and teaching spaces for disadvantaged people in Hornchurch and the neighbouring areas. This is why I have made it one of the larger rooms and kept it on the first floor.

This is the view of the structure from the entrance, I believe that even the front panels should be raised as well to add to the length of the pavilion at the back. I will need to create a wall to block of the exterior and the entrance.

The second floor prioritises the local artists, and their ability to make great use of this space as well. There are 5 studios that can be rented by these artists, who will also have the chance to create workshops, events, and host their own work in the gallery on the ground floor. At the end of the corridor there is a large working space for the artists to teach visitors of the site. The reason for placing the studios on the top floor is because this floor provides the best views of the town, and so I plan to have a long narrow glass window running across the whole of the North and South facing walls, inspired by what the façade looks like currently. Having these windows will draw much light into the artists’ studios and will create a great environment for them to work in (undoubtably attracting more artists to the centre every year).

Now that I have got a final layout for the interior I want to focus on the exterior region of the site. This will play an important role in the success of this centre as it provides much more space for activities, events and workshops.

Development of the façade: Building the design I had reached a conclusion to, on Sketchup, is becoming a challenge because I believe I am losing the detail and authenticity of my original form. In these images I have shown the point where I stopped my creation of the idea, as I believe it doesn't have the impact I expected. So, looking back at my idea of the façade and its development I really want to revisit the idea of movement within a structural form, but one that is more complex and angled.

Plan

I am going back to this model as it is my favourite idea I have created so far. I believe this is because of the dramatic change in angle and height from one panel to the next. I feel that I should use this idea to cover the rest of the façade, varying the scale and potentially its angle of rotation.

following the slanted panels that are kept parallel to each other

creating the end point, where the panels should gradually angle to

Rotating this 90 degrees to the horizontal to get to this point

Ground level I have lost the gaps created vertically because of the subtle increase in height (opposing the initial model of the entrance in Sketchup)

Front elevation

Cutting part of the structure to fit the site

Exterior view

On Sketchup I have rotated the structure 90 degrees to the right and by mirroring it have created a repeating pattern across the South side of the building.

To build the front I am planning to keep this point as the peak and gradually decrease the height of the structure, keeping the flow of the initial idea.

I plan to manipulate the structure in another way so that the front of the building will be covered. Because of the change in form, I am aware that I now have to alter the floor plan. I will do this when I have completed the structure….

Bird’s eye view

Interior view

The structure has a detailed look from the exterior but also the interior. Without the existing building I would have this has a feature wall, however I won’t knock down my building for this, losing my intention. I do want to make this a feature whether that be part of a journey to the back of the site from this point, or having windows across the wall for an alternative view to the surroundings.

Using the initial structure again, I have formed the next part of the extension of the façade. I have rotated it towards the left slightly which achieves the decrease in height. My decision to repeat the same shape was made so that when the structure is complete it compliments itself. Not being of several different forms would ruin its flow, and create too many features that clash.

This is my final design of the structured façade. The walls of the single storey building will be stripped but the majority of the floor plan will be kept. I plan to keep all of the taller building to make use of all of the space provided, however the colour of the brick will clash with the wooden panels. As I want my focus to be on this structure, I believe I should either paint or cover the brick to create a visual backdrop for the façade to rest upon. Going forward, I want to complete the layout of the design, exploring how it will connect with the rest of the site, and find a solution to the front entrance. I plan to use most of the layout previously planned, but because the entrance is now West instead of North, the floor plan will have to change slightly.

Connecting them together by following their own angle has formed its own unique detail from the shift in height between the front and back section

I have moved the structure away from the site and rotated it to left slightly so that I can connect the panels together with a suitable height for the interior.

Extended both structures at their own angle until they meet. This has formed a variation in height that will be an interesting feature to have by the entrance.

This height is 3.5 metres, unlike before rotation where the height was 1.7 metres. This has now made the design suitable for the public, and my plan next is to explore the entrance way.

Next, I am going to build this model in 3d form as I want to understand and change any flaws within the design. I believe that I should build it using the laser cutter as this will be the most efficient way, and I also want to see how it fits in context amongst the existing building and within the site’s location. By seeing it from every perspective, I can comprehend each feature of my design, and know where I should go next. Additionally, I hope to explore how I bring light into the space as the structure right now forms many shadows across the floor, and I wouldn’t want to lose that.

I faced a few challenges when making this model. Most importantly, the scale of the design didn’t match the scale of the building it rests upon. This meant that some of the panels across the South façade had to be discarded, as well as some panels to the back of the site. Despite this, I feel there are enough panels to communicate my intentions, showing the layering, the variation in height and the variation in angle. As shown, the edges of each panel are black from the burning of the laser. I had not considered this when planning the build, but the contrast of the light wood colour on the front side of each panel, has become a very effective way of showing the structure’s form and undulations. Initially, when I saw this contrast, I didn’t like how it looked, as from an aerial view, you cannot see the contrast. However, I don’t believe this should not stop me from pursuing this idea which is truly stronger and more effective at showing my design. To make the panels stand I had to glue them to themselves as well as the board, which lost my original concept of drawing light into the space through the gaps. This previously created a wonderful shadow across the floor, but looking at the design I know another way of drawing light into the space. The front of the building has a large space for floor to ceiling windows, and although this won’t have the dramatic effective of the shadows, it will draw enough light into the space still to not matter so much (as shown in the elevations above and below).

These are the external bricks on the building of Downing Street. Due to the increasingly high levels of pollution over the centuries, the bricks were painted black to avoid having to constantly clean the waste off of them. Leaving the mortar white, allowed for a great contrast, and adds character.

Opposite my site, the Queens Theatre also uses a dark brick to form the top its the building.

The Telephone Exchange is built from a red/brown brick and has panels of white bordering each wall. Because I want the focus to be on the cladded structure I plan to remove these borders, and then paint the bricks black. The bricks on the houses on Downing Street were painted black and the mortar was left white, however I want to paint the mortar on my site black as well. With the level of detail taking away, I believe doing this to the existing building will create a great backdrop to the rest of the design. I also want my design to compliment the surroundings, and given the fact that the Queens Theatre is made of a dark brick, it will be able to do so.

Vennesla Library: Helen & Hard Architects Located in Vennesla, Norway, this library was designed from the combining of an existing learning centre and community house. Added is a library, café and private study/meeting spaces. This multi-purpose space is the embodiment of functional yet unique and wonderful design. It’s has a very angular, geometric form from both the front and back of the site, however on the inside there is an abundance of curves. I am intrigued by the way this design merges the large wooden panels on the inside with the ability of getting light into the space without it being excessive, and this is what I want my design to achieve.

The integration of the wooden beams and the gaps between them successfully bring a lot of light into the space. Despite this, there is much privacy from the outside world as there are vertical panels on the façade breaking others’ view. I want to pursue this idea in my design to make the space feel more open, and keep the view into the space limited.

To access the gallery at the back of the site, I have created a small extension at an angle to the horizontal panels (like my floor plan sketched previously). This has saved space but also created a sense of unknown. The roof of this section has been inspired by the 3d nature of the library’s façade and I have continued the floor to ceiling panels onto this extension.

Unlike the Vennesla Library, my front entrance is not 3d. I decided against it as the front elevation already has many interesting features and follows a specific pattern. This flow would have been disrupted and so now the entrance is the floor to ceiling windows like that on the right-hand side.

To bring light into the ground floor I have created a full length wall of floor-ceiling glass panels. These doors will be by-folding so that events can take place during the summer months that cover both the internal and external space.

My entrance consists of the same floor to ceiling glass windows as the right hand side of the façade. I have placed the doors to the left of this, where they are also made of glass.

Citycape House: Sheppard Robson Architects This is the plan for a redevelopment of an office building in London. The building walls are made up of almost entirely glass, this is then covered by a façade of a repeating pattern green wall. Containing over 400,000 plants, this design is set to ”capture over 8 tonnes of carbon and produce 6 tonnes of oxygen” and given the dangerous levels of pollution in Central London, it is necessary that the patterned façade covers the entire building. The hope of the architects is that this bold design will set the tone for a wave of green walls across the busy and polluted city of London.

Looking at this redevelopment plan I want to look into the idea of creating my own pattern that will mimic my main design, and create a green façade along the North facing wall. This would be a great way to combat some of Hornchurch’s pollution levels, especially given the fact that there are not many trees on the side of the roads to do this job.

To find a shape I have taken inspiration from the shapes already in my design. The front panel is the first form seen, which was 2 shapes put together to form one large panel. The variation in height is what I have looked at as well as the angle at which they meet.

This is very similar to my research however I have removed the smaller windows to create 2 large windows. This will compliment the rest of my design now, and I plan to extend some of the windows to form window seats also like my research has done. Because I want the floors to be multi-purpose I won’t have window seating on every window as it will take up too much space. Placing on the wall shows me that his shape it too detailed and doesn’t blend well with the rest of wall. I have removed every other brick panel to make more space for the windows, however I will need to simplify this idea.

It is really important to me that my design is considerate of the local environment, and one way to do that is by including a green wall on my design. Given that my design is lacking in colour, this green wall has created a burst of colour amongst the dark tones, with the bonus of it purifying the surrounding air. The window design shown ensures enough of the wall is covered by plants to impact the quality of the surroundings, but is also enough glass to flood the space with light.

Examples of art galleries: Now I have designed the final structural part of my site I am now looking at creating the final floor plans. My ideas for the space are still strongly base on my previous sketches however given some of the changes to the entrance I have to consider a new layout for this section. The images to the left represent some successful art galleries that all have a very similar theme. I found that through my research when visiting 2 of the 3 galleries shown and researching online most galleries have a completely open entrance way. I believe this is part of what makes them so successful in my eyes as this space is the first part of the interior design seen by the public, and so a good is necessary. The open space and vaulted ceilings allows the architect to show of their creation, and shows a consideration for those who actually use the space. Although my plan is to create an multi-functional space which includes a gallery, this is great inspiration for my entrance way since my design is dominant at this point.

My plan of the entrance includes a small counter that greets people the moment they walk in which is shaped to mimic the façade. I have also included a spaces that will include information about the centre itself, the history of the site, the development, and any new activities/workshops going on at the time.

Here is the final floor plan of the entrance way, and my next steps are to finish the remainder of the ground floor interior along with the other floors.

Plan: Ground Floor

Plan: First Floor

Workshop:

Computer room:

Crafting room:

Toilets:

Storage room:

Social space:

The Design Museum London: To improve my understanding of refurbished arts spaces I visited the Design Museum in Kensington, London. This building is grade II listed was refurbished to house this museum from the collaboration of many architects who focused on prioritising the extraordinary parabolic ceiling already present, and the community who would be using the space. The basement was converted into the main art gallery and the ground floor upwards is an open plan central design with rooms surrounding the edge. These rooms hold offices and studios that are rentable for artists and companies, and are used regularly. I hoped with my building to provide such spaces, and so this was a good place to get my inspiration. The studios on the top floor have windows looking into the building as well as out of it. Given that this museum is free for the public to look around, others can see what these artists are doing through the internal windows. I believe this is a great feature to include as it is interesting for the public to see and encourages the artists themselves to be more collaborative during their time there. Based on my initial sketches of the second floor plan I have constructed the walls to create the 5 studios and a large collaboration room at the rear of the site. The wall positioning has changed slightly since I placed another set of toilets in the same place as the floor below, for the convenience of those using this floor.

Final Second Floor Design: Looking at how to integrate the windows into the space I have attempted to put the windows of those on the exterior walls beside the entrances to each studio. Although I like the look of these windows I feel that the viewpoints are quite restrictive and the studios themselves are too divided. I want to remove some of the walls I have put up to create larger studio spaces that to encourage artists to be collaborative and inspire one another.

Floor to ceiling glass walls that construct each room, which can also be moved to open up the second floor entirely.

Plan: Second Floor

Kitchen:

Art Room 1:

Meeting Room:

Bathroom:

Art Room 2:

Art Room 3:

I believe the floor plans I have designed successfully maximise the space given and fulfil the specification written at the beginning of the project. In the art centre there is: ▪ Art gallery ▪ 2 sets of toilets ▪ 3 studio spaces ▪ Kitchen ▪ Meeting room ▪ Large workshop ▪ Computer room ▪ Crafting/sewing room ▪ Storage room ▪ Social lounge ▪ Lift ▪ Large staircase ▪ Access to outside area With all of my floor plans sketched out and built on Sketchup, my next step is to build my design. I have already built the external structure upon a solid base that replicates the existing building that is still being used, however I would like to now construct this with each floor included, and using a variety of materials.

Final Model: Draft During the construction of my model I had many problems to overcome. I decided to exclude the panels that make up most of the external space and focus on the main building, because once they are to the right scale then there is not anything else to overcome in terms of problems that may arise. However with the main building, I wanted the observer to be able to look inside the model and see the floor plans I have designed. To do this, I wanted them to be able to lift the roof off and each floor to reveal the next. With this model I had not considered the thickness of the material and so each wall so slightly too long, and the bases of each floor where too big. I constructed the walls that would be stationary in the real model and joined it to the base, and individually constructed the floor plans. I noticed that other than the scale, this model worked very well, and achieves the look I have visioned. In the actual model I would like to use many materials for an overall realistic effect (for example: acrylic to represent the glass, black card or foam board to represent the painted brick walls, and wood to represent the remaining design).

Each floor will rest upon each other and will be easily to lift up by holding the interior walls.

The left hand plan represents the first floor and the right hand one is off the second floor, however this is missing most of the walls from not regarding the thickness of the material.

This is the model so far, made from mostly ply but also black card and acrylic. Using ply instead of MDF has created a very unique pattern across the burnt edge of each panel, unlike the MDF which left the entire façade jet black.

These panels are the interior walls of each floor, and because I have to scale my design to consider the material thickness, I had to construct these floors again on Sketchup.

To add context to my final model I have decided to build some of the base previously shown on my Sketchup model. This base I am choosing to make in layers, so the first layer will represent the road, the next layer will be the pavements and where my model rests upon, and the final layer will show minor details of the surrounding space. Along with trees and people I hope this will create the most realistic effect of the my design as possible.

I have rendered most of my Sketchup model to show it in a more realistic way, however I did decide to copy one of the images onto an aerial view of the site and one from the public’s perspective. This has allowed me to see my design almost exactly how it would look in real life. From doing this I have realised that my estimate of the height of the existing Telephone Exchange building was slightly under. I guessed that the height of each floor would have been around 2.75m, however it appears that each floor is closer to 3m. Although very subtle, the 0.75m in total missing from my design has effected the look of my whole design upon the Google Maps images. If I could change it then each panel making up the façade would have to be lengthened. Given the angle they are at, it would have caused the floor plan to become much bigger, and so my design may have not fit on the site.

Renders: Ground Floor

Renders: First Floor

Renders: Second Floor

Evaluation: I chose to design this space because on my walks around Hornchurch I realised that the Telephone Exchange had become a very unappealing, and run down building. With North Street running right along its East side, and residential areas to its North and West, the building was being seen by a large percentage of Hornchurch’s population. So to restore its look and bring a connection to the community I decided to turn it into a creative arts centre, all while keeping the majority of the building. In my specification and brief I had planned to include multi-purpose spaces, an art gallery, a workshop, studio spaces, disabled access, several entrance points and accent of the original building. All of these I have included, and more, with crafting spaces, social lounges, a kitchen for those renting out the studios, a meeting room and a large and impactful entrance way. This design has successfully achieved the necessities of a creative arts centre and would allow so many residents to find their creative spark.

When placing my rendered images in context I realised that my estimate of the height of the existing Telephone Exchange was slightly under, and because of this the images taken amongst the surroundings are slightly out in proportion. If I had realised sooner I would have been able to correct the height, and then the panels on the façade would have been developed to fit the new height. This alteration may have changed the final look of my design since the panels would have been too short, and so they would either had to have been lengthened (which would have increased the floor plan greatly) or changed in angle (which would have created a different pattern from the East view. Despite this I am very happy with the look of my final design, and I believe that I built my model well to successfully communicate my Sketchup design.

Interior and Architectural Design: Component 1: Part 2 Rosie Anderson

Hornchurch Town Centre:

There are a range of spaces surrounding the site of the telephone exchange; South is a fire station, North and East are rows of residential houses and West lies the Queen’s Theatre and 2 block of flats. With differing styles of architecture, these spaces have no connection to one another, other than their location. And as a resident, I feel there is lack of comfortable outdoor space, away from the busy town centre. Despite Langtons being the only park in the immediate area, it is hidden behind houses and recreational buildings, so not many people have been exposed to it’s wonder, especially the younger generation. There is also the problem of a lack of green space for the residents of the 2 blocks of flats. And so I want to explore the possibility of connecting my re-design of the telephone exchange with it’s neighbouring architecture and residents.

Total area: 10600 m^2

Total perimeter: 420 m

Hornchurch has a large variety of age groups. Visiting the theatre you have the majority being of the older generation and so this space must accommodate the needs of them at the times they are around (during the afternoon/early evening) There are also many schools that surround the area, so there will be a demand from students starting at the time they finish school. This times are more focused on the common weekday flow of Hornchurch, but at the weekend almost every age group will need to feel welcomed. Given that the demand of each age group differs, there should be spaces separate to each other, e.g. dedicated seating areas.

Main area: 6390 m^2

06:00 – 09:00

09:00 – 12:00

12:00 – 15:00

15:00 – 18:00

18:00 – 21:00

21:00 – 24:00

11-20

✓

21-30

✓

31-40

✓

41-50

✓

51-60

✓

61+

✓

Main perimeter: 340 m

There is a road that separates the Telephone Exchange and the theatre, and one that separates the theatre with Fairkytes, both running off of the town centre. These roads are not safe roads to cross, and the high levels of traffic make this area one of the more polluted areas of Hornchurch. There are clever ways to combat pollution levels so I want to explore these ideas in a way that doesn’t distract from my main focus of connecting the residents of Hornchurch with their neighbours, and nature. On this map, the red lines show the busiest roads that run through Hornchurch. The common bus routes follow these roads and so during peak times there is much congestion. Hornchurch is also the dividing town of Upminster and Romford, meaning that it is constantly used for travellers to work, school and leisure purposes.

Pollution levels of London:

The red lines on the previous map match up with the yellow and partly red sections of this map showing the pollution levels across London. Despite the area being mostly blue (which corresponds to a safe level), it is evident that pollution levels are rising again, since the rapid drop after the industrial revolution. I believe that architecture outside of Central London should start to consider combating pollution, and should not wait until the levels get to those similar in the centre.

Survey: Age group: (please circle) 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61+ How do you travel to work/school? (please circle) Walk Bus Train Car Other (please specify) What do you do directly after work/school? (please circle) Go home Stay outside (recreational) Exercise Pickup friends/family members Meet up with friends/family members Other (please specify if comfortable)

What days of the week are you most likely to go out/visit a park? (please circle one or more) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday What times of the day are you most likely to visit a park? (please circle) 06:00-09:00 09:00-12:00 12:00-15:00 15:00-18:00 18:00-21:00

How many times, in the last month, have you visited a park? (please circle) 0 1-5 times 6-10 times 11-20 times 21+ Which of the following best describes your reason for visiting a park? (please circle) To be alone To meet with family To meet up with friends To relax amongst nature Other If you have not visited a park recently, why not?

Are pollution levels important to you?

Yes No Not sure How do you feel about roads lying close to parks?

Would you make use of any fruit, vegetables or herbs being grown in public spaces? Where is (or where has been) your favourite outdoor space to visit? Why? Yes No Not sure Is there anything you wish your local park had?

How often do you meet up with others, outside of work/school? (please circle) Never 1-2 times per week 3-4 times per week 5-6 times per week 7+ times per week

Would you use these sheltered outdoor spaces to study/work?

Are you concerned about your safety within parks? Yes No Not sure

Are there any activities that you want to do outside, but currently cannot? If so, what would make you feel safer?

In your opinion, what is necessary for a park/outdoor community space to include? Do you believe there is anything missing in Hornchurch that would benefit the community? If so, what is it? Is there anything you would change about your local park? If so, what is it and why?

Do you believe there is a need for sheltered outdoor spaces? If so, what would you most likely use them for?

How would you travel to get to the Queen’s Theatre? (please circle) Walk Bus Train Car Other (please specify)

Results of multi-choice questions: Age group:

11-20

21-30

31-40

41-50

51-60

61+

How do you travel to work/school?

Walk

Bus

Train

Car

Other

What do you do directly after work/school?

Go home

Stay outside

Exercise

Go shopping

How often do you meet up with others, outside of work/school? (per week)

How many times, in the last month, have you visited a park?

Which of the following best describes your reason for visiting a park?

What days of the week are you most likely to go out/visit a park?

What times of the day are you most likely to visit a park?

06:00-09:00

1-2 times

3-4 times

5-6 times

7+ times

1-5 times

6-10 times

11-20 times

21+ times

To meet up with family

To meet up with friends

To relax amongst nature

Other

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

09:00-12:00

12:00-15:00

15:00-18:00

18:00-21:00

Not sure

Would you make use of any fruit, vegetables or herbs being grown in public spaces?

How would you travel to get to the Queen’s Theatre?

Other (revise in café)

To be alone

Yes

Are you concerned about your safety within parks?

Meet up with friends/family members

Never

0 Are pollution levels important to you?

Pickup friends/family members

Yes

Not sure

Yes

Not sure

Walk

Bus

Train

Car

Other

Results of remaining questions:

Conclusions: My reason for conducting the survey was to find ideas that I hadn’t thought of myself, and that is exactly what I found. I had my own ideas on what I believe made an outdoor space successful, and what the necessities are, however through the answers of others, I was presented ideas that would turn this space from just a park into a community-driven site. Lighting is a major problem in some parks, where 40% of my surveyors said they felt unsafe if a site was not well lit when it was dark outside. Several light sources as well as CCTV cameras are solutions to the problem of safety that I will need to include in my design. A common reason for avoiding some parks was that they had poor levels of cleanliness and so a proper bin system would be appreciated, to keep the residents coming back to the site. I also discovered that many people enjoyed the peacefulness nature can provide, and along with incorporating more benches and seating that are surrounded by trees and colourful plants, I want to find a way to block off the noise and view of the 2 roads next to the site which would otherwise ruin the atmosphere and tranquillity. In terms of activities that people would want to do outside, I found that many people would use sheltered seating for studying, drawing and listening to music as well as socialising and relaxing. They also would love to have a place to watch films outside, and to listen to live music. So the idea of incorporating a outdoor theatre and bandstand into my site would be something I will consider, especially given that it could be used during the Summer months by performers at the Queen’s theatre.

Looking at what people believe is necessary for an outdoor space, the obvious were; open green areas, tables and benches, quieter areas, play areas, bins, coffee shop and disabled access. However, it appeared that many would also want toilets, a lot of lighting, careful tree placement, information on the nature on site, several pathways and for the site to be as sustainable as possible. In terms of the number of pathways, I know my site is not huge, but the reason for wanting them was so that it never got too busy, so I understand that having many would distribute the visitors well. The idea of having a coffee shop or set of toilets won’t be considered as my site lies directly next to the town centre of Hornchurch, which has more than enough café and coffee shops with toilets in them to accommodate all the visitors I will get and more. The Queen’s Theatre will also be open during the evenings, and any collaboration with them will also mean that their facilities are available.

My reason for questioning my surveyors on their favourite outdoor space was to find what these places provided and why they are so successful in their opinion. Local parks were mentioned like Harrow Lodge Park, which was said to be a great place for exercising and walking your dog, and Langtons Park which is successful for allowing people to connect with nature and the community. However outdoor places located abroad were mentioned Seka Park in Turkey which is large in size and is known for holding the most wonderful tulip flower competitions. Several beaches and islands were also mentioned as they allow people to be the most relaxed with no distractions of the outside world.

Specification: • • • • • • • •

• • • •

Tables and benches Sheltered seating and communal area A connection to nature through the considerate planting of flowers and trees A barrier from the roads either side and Sainsbury’s car park Open space A bandstand Several pathways connecting either side Adaptability to accommodate theatre productions/projecting films/outdoor events Disability friendly Information on the nature at the site A litter prevention system with many bins (recycling and food waste included) Considerate placement and removal or existing trees (given that there are over 20)

Billet Lane is the road that runs along the West side of my site. It can become very busy when there is traffic in Hornchurch, so I should include suitable crossings that make it safer for residents to access the site.

South East View of the Queen’s Theatre

View of Telephone Exchange

Hornchurch Library lies directly East, and is a unique piece of architecture through the us of bright colours on the exterior

With the trees overhanging the South pathway, it creates the illusion of a tunnel, a feature I plan to keep.

Standing on the South pathway this is the view of Sainsbury’s car park. I believe it is not safe as it encourages people to walk across the length of the car park, however the accessibility it provides is high in value . I must find a way around this, one that is safe for both the Sainsbury’s customers and the visitors of the site.

I believe this entrance is the best one for the site. It is the South East entrance, that is surrounded by trees and flowers, so in the Spring and Summer months it can become quite hidden.

This is North Street, a road running directly through the High Street. It can very busy during peak times, however there is already a crossing aligned perfectly with the entrance to the site currently. It would best not to move it given its convenience.

Nature at Langtons Gardens: I want to begin my concept development at the same place I started my previous project with. As explored previously, Langtons Gardens is a communal park for the residents of Hornchurch. It is hidden behind the buildings of Fairkytes Arts Centre and the large trees on its perimeter. Next to Langtons House, North of the site, is a bed of these purple/violet flowers. Their abundance in such a small space is one concept that is intriguing, and I want to explore its practicality in my space.

From elevating the plan sketch it has led me to the idea of having a set of cylinders that could accommodate tables and chairs. By positioning them around a central point, an open area is created in the centre. This combination of closed off and open spaces is what was asked for when reviewing the results of my survey.

The above sketches are potential layouts which incorporate the existing pathways on site. The sketch to the left is of a layout using only the pathway from the car park and the curved road off the Queen’s Theatre. I have created one long stretch of road that connects the whole space, so everything is accessible from this path. I like this idea better than the above layouts, and so I plan to look at how this would work successfully within the space, and where the best entrances and exits are from the East and West pavements.

If I am to have the tunnels as a walk through then they must have doors to enter and exit, otherwise they would not serve their purpose during any of the colder months.

Another idea is to have this structure sheltering the pathway. This may form a break away from the busy roads, creating the relaxing and more private environment needed.

Similar to the first model, I initially had the intention of this model being a sheltered space for seating. However the nature of its form will limit the amount of space for this seating from the major height restriction on one side.

Through sketching this model, it is reminding me much of one of my earlier ideas for the Telephone Exchange, how there are gaps between each panel, and gaps from an elevation view from shifting the panels slightly, sideways.

This model was made from strips that has been curved enough to fold back against itself. Following this type of movement I intended to shift each loop sideways slightly (like model 2) so that it is not just one long tunnel.

Also similar to model 2, this model doesn’t work practically for seating, as so this goes towards the idea of a sheltered pathway again.

Across the 3 models, I have noticed that the idea of a sheltered pathway would work better following their forms. With my original idea of a sheltered seating area, model 1 is the only one that could host said purpose as it has little variation in height, and works practically for the design I sketched. Going forward I plan to look at how model 1 can become the space I have planned it to be through research, and separately look at models 2 and 3 as a development of the new pathway concept, also will the assistance of research.

The idea of a sheltered pathway brought me back to this model from my part 1 project. I loved this concept for the Telephone Exchange and unfortunately I was unbale to execute it. However, I can use this as the main walkway for my site opposite. It is obvious that I will have to keep the height constant and change the plan view of it, so that it fits its new purpose, but I believe this is a good starting point.

I have built a very basic model here to show my idea in 3d. Unlike the other model on this page, each panel is equivalent to the next and so the structure is almost completely uniform. This was done to keep the height constant, as I believe a varied height would ruin the experience while walking beneath it. The curved floor plan that this structure follows makes this more architecturally interesting to combat its uniformity. By taking inspiration from my Part 1 I have been able to produce a design that will aesthetically link with one another, which will create unison within the area, and will also be a good determiner of my design.

Building this design on Sketchup has enabled me to see how it would work in the context of the surroundings. I was also able to create a uniform structure. However, considering that in my survey one of the main reasons for feeling unsafe were enclosed, dark spaces in parks, I feel this may become a very uncomfortable “tunnel” for vulnerable people to walk through. To ensure this atmosphere is not created, I need to find a way to open up the space so enough light can get through, and passers-by can see throughout the site.

Despite the changes I will have to make, I want to keep the shape of my structure that its created from a plan view. This is because it crosses the width of the site so works well as the main pathway.

South Elevation Queen’s Theatre

All I have on site right now is the Queen’s Theatre building as this is the only permanent object. What I have done is removed every panels out of 3, so the number of panels has reduced by 2 thirds. This has created the necessary open space feeling which is needed for any vulnerable person to feel safe. Now I am happy with the structure, I am going to look at the spaces that will branch off of this pathway. I have briefly sketched how I plan to integrate them both but once I know what will be on the site and where these spaces will be, I can then build them together.

Even though I have removed 2/3 of the structure, the sheltered feeling has not been lost as well as the perspectives created from the structure’s curves.

Second Home Hollywood Office: Selgascano Architects Named Second Home for the intentions of designing a relaxing working space this space is 3750 square metres and has shown the ability to integrate offices within the outdoor environment. Previously the site was made up of two buildings, one of which is still there, the two storey 1960s building, redeveloped to be the main hub of the site. It holds around 200 office/meeting spaces, amenities to keep the workers on site during their breaks, and a central courtyard surrounded by the building. The other building was knocked down, and in it’s place are now 60 unique office “hubs”. Initially catching my attention, these are magnificent glass walled spaces with the distinct colour use of the colour orange.

The oval office space walls are made entirely of glass, which always gives the users a 360 degrees view of the surroundings (which are more brightly coloured offices and hundreds of plants).

c c

Looking at my brief design of the plan of the site and combining it with this idea, I realise that there would be too many pods, taking over the entire space. This would leave space for not much else, and so I have reduced it to occupy the North East and South West sections of the site.

c Seeing how effective the pods are, I am going back to the idea of the cylinders standing up right instead of laying horizontally. This will maximise the head room inside, and with therefore allow me to add more to the interior. I also want to keep the idea of the variation in height between each pod so the space is not too formal, and the purpose of each pod can differ slightly.

My drawings from the previous slides have brought forward the idea of a spring, from the repeated panels and so I have created a model that is flexible, and manipulated it in several ways. To connect each circle and achieve the movement of a spring I folded a strip of paper several times and placed one in between each circle. From this I have created some designs that could work with my intentions for the space.

Based on my sketches I have 2 designs which are of a similar nature but the one below is wider, so to serve a different purpose. Both designs have a roof that is at the same angle, however the bands that wrap around each structure follow an individual pattern, and this combination creates a non-uniform but familiar setting for the public to feel comfortable. I now plan to build the interior and to do this I want to look back at the results from my survey so I do not miss anything out that is important for those in the community.

Similar to the Second Home Hollywood Office, I plan to have the walls made from glass as these spaces have the purpose of connecting those with nature, while sheltering them (something that most indoor spaces cannot do).

Here are the interior designs created so far that will be a part of each set of sheltered spaces. The one above is dedicated to those people in my survey who said they would want a place to study in groups. On both sides of the space I have placed bench seating along with a table that follows the same curved form as the bench and the wall they rest upon. On the opposite side of the table are 3 chairs that will enable groups to sit and socialise while having the space to study. The space below is slightly bigger than the other design as I know, from my survey, that it is important to include many independent working areas. I have placed a wrap around table, resting upon the glass wall, and where the chairs are facing outwards. In combination with the glass walls, this reinforces the connection with nature that is otherwise lost in an indoor space. However, because of the large amount of glass, I feel that there is not much privacy, and so I want to find a solution to this, which may be placing a lot of greenery around the edge, or losing some of the glass around the base of the space.

Plan

Following my plan of the pathway and structures previously sketched I have assembled them onto the site. I decided not to include a structure in the centre as it would have taken up too much space and blocked the view in this area too much. I may look at at placing some benches or a lot of plants to fill the gap. To add colour onto the site, I have chosen to make the bands on each structure and their roofs orange. This colour was chosen to match the Q on the four sides of the Queen’s Theatre wall, which can seen for miles. I believe this adds a vibrancy and joyful atmosphere to the site so far, and compliments the greenery that will surround it. Looking at the interior, there is a sense that the structures are too visible to those around, and so I want to look at how I can combat this problem. I am already planning to fill the surroundings with many plants, but this may be the way to tackle the privacy. If I surround the lower half of these structures with denser plants then that will create a natural barrier to the outdoors, all while allowing the light to still flow through the top half of them.

Context

Here I have made my model simply by 3d printing the wall and then laser cutting card to create the bands and roof. To start with, I have decided to use card to test out the practicalities of this design in real life, and I have found a few problems. One is that my other design of the sheltered seating has the bands crossing which will be hard to replicate, especially if I use acrylic for the final model. I also realise that the bands will need a gap cutting out of them to make space for the door, and so they will then have to be discreetly secured to the plastic (currently they are just resting upon the structure). The last problem is that the door is protruding from my model and so I will then have to create a separate hollow cuboid that can act as the frame, then also attach this to the plastic in some way. Despite my plan sketches of the site, showing how there would be a seating area to the North East of the pathway, I have decided against it. This is because the North East area is connected to the road by a zebra crossing. Along with the road, this has too much noise to be a sensible place to place one of these areas (as they are suppose to be relaxing).

Assessing the challenges that will arise when making the final model of this idea, I have decided against using the other design of the “pods” where the bands cross. This is because it will be very difficult to make in the acrylic and so for the sake of a small detail, I have changed all of them to have only 2 slanted bands.

Looking at the site so far, I also want to find a style that will be able to blend each section of my design together. This is so the space doesn’t become a mixture of several designs, with no connection to one another (and with my Part 1 final design).

To keep the South side of the site quieter, and without distractions, I plan to make this space between each set of “pods” another relaxing area, for those who want to sit outside without the shelter and the desks.

Looking at my design, I recognise that what I have at the moment are two unique ideas that work well on the site individually but together not so well. The sheltered seating areas following the same oval form and the orange works well in contrast with the vibrant green nature on site. However the pathway follows a very similar form to that of my Part 1 design, containing very angular wooden panels, Despite this, the bridge does follow a curve, and so I feel that by accentuating this will allow me to better connect these designs. I would not like to lose either of the designs but by manipulating them slightly I hope to create a a more unified space.

To start off, I want to look at what is actually there on site. There are many trees that surround the South of the site, mostly following the existing pathway, and because of this I feel it is necessary to keep as many trees as possible and not completely disrupt the current pathway.

I have explored several ideas for the space, and I believe my favourite is the concept of having a big open space with some more closed off areas to the bottom of the site. With the placement of the existing trees, the sheltered seating areas are able to be the more private spaces I had designed them to be. I have not found a way to integrate the pathway yet, but since I have such a large space remaining, there is much potential still.

Cumberland Park: Hargreaves Associates Previously a wasteland this space was specifically designed for the families of Nashville, Tennessee to enjoy. The architects included many trails and experiences that immerse the public in nature e.g. an imbedded water fountain, a climbing wall, a slide alongside the stairs, a sand pit with buried fossils and a nature maze. Located on the East bank of the Cumberland River, the design effortlessly mimics the curves and patterns of the neighbouring water all while having an abundance of plants and trees. There are 2 bridges that lie either side of the park and undoubtedly the most impressive part of the design, a bridge that crosses over the park itself. To be considerate to the surroundings, the park has a geo-thermal energy system which ensures that unused energy is recycled back into the local energy systems. It also has solar panels to power the lights, and prevention for flooding since it lies directly on a floodplain.

I decided to look at this park in Nashville as the bridge reminded me of my own design of the sheltered pathway. I want to take inspiration from this to both keep the pathway I have and not divide the space (keeping the openness).

Following this research, I have sketched an idea to invert the panels and add both a base and glass side panels. This will form a flat structure that can allow the public to cross the site, and will run over the lower level to achieve a bridge. Using glass panels will mean that the pathway is not disconnected from the remainder of the site, and will be a great way for those using it to view the design below them. Next I will build this design on Sketchup to see how it works in context, and also how I integrate the rest of my brief in with this bold design.

The bridge follows the same pattern as the pathway I had but given the nature of the lower level and the bridge , I have now created much more space for the public to enjoy.

Lower level is 3m below ground level, and is connected by a slope up to the a central point where it meets 4 other pathways.

I am very happy with the foundations of my design, and I am now looking at what it has achieved of my specification so far. I will need to add much detail to the lower level to create a sociable space that meets the requirements of a traditional park, and also add small details to the site surrounding Queen’s Theatre to connect both of the spaces.

My reason for creating the shape here was to bring together the wooden panels I had designed with the curvature of the sheltered seating. Both ideas I really liked but now I feel I have successfully made them feel apart of each other. Other than using the same oval as the “pods” for the centre piece, the use of the glass panels has also reinforced the new connection with one another.

Assessing the practicalities of the slope I realise that my design should contain a staircase instead. This is because the slope was too steep for it to be safely used by disabled people, and for those who are not, however I must still include a ramp so it can be accessed by all. I will look at how I integrate this into the lower level, and how I can keep this area open.

With the barrier blocking off part of the staircase, it leaves much space for the public to sit and enjoy the views at a variety of levels.

The barrier for the staircase matches the of the bridge, with the wooden panel and the large glass across the side.

To complete the centre of the design, I am looking at different structures that could be placed there. I want to keep this area very open but I know I cannot leave it blank and so I am looking at how to integrate the oval shape into this empty space.

I have created the main structure of the lower level which is a succession of ovals deceasing in size as they reach a central point. The nature of this has created a comforting space that achieves the relaxing feel I had planned, and that is needed within Hornchurch. I also believe that this area will be a great place for the Queen’s Theatre to host productions and for bands to host gigs. Having a bandstand was something that was very important in my specification however I believe this achieves exactly what a bandstand would offer, and more.

To complete my design I have added more seating areas along the East side of the lower level and beside this I have placed a small set of stairs. This was because I realised that the North section of this area was not easily accessible other than from the pavements. The other additions to the space are 3 rows of flower beds that follow the side of some of the curved structures. I decided to add this as I believe it would add colour to the site. Also, looking at my survey, one idea mentioned was to grow fruit, vegetables and herbs on site, and these beds would be a great place to do this.

Queen’s Theatre

Large central, open space for the public to relax and enjoy the surroundings, but also a space for the theatre and other organisations to host events, productions, movie nights or concerts

Raised plant beds for fruit, vegetables and herbs to be grown on site

Raised plant beds for fruit, vegetables and herbs to be grown on site, as well as some flowers

Staircase that is more hidden, paced so that the North section of the site can be accessed easily

West entrance to bridge

Raised seating area

Disabled access (ramp) to lower level

East entrance to bridge that gives access to North Street, the Telephone Exchange and the Library

West entrance to site, with lights beside the pathway and access to Billet Lane, Fairkytes Arts Centre and Langtons Gardens Handrail to divide staircase, allowing the left and right hand side to become seating areas (with a great view of the surroundings)

East entrance South of site, with lights beside the pathway

Sheltered seating “pods” that will provide a quiet and calming study or relaxation space for the public

Central point of the site, where almost all of my design can be seen

Oval structures that have bench seating following their interior and flower beds on their exterior

Social area for those wanting a more shaded and nature full place to be (including recycling bins)

Main stairway down to lower level

South East entrance to site that is sheltered by the existing trees and also has lights beside the pathway

Evaluation: To continue the development of the area, I chose to redesign the green space surrounding the Queen’s Theatre. This area lies directly East of my Part 1 site, and so it was important for me to link these redevelopments together in some way. My final design shows a bridge that runs over a lower than ground level space. This bridge consists of angled wooden panels (where their shape was taken from the first panel in my part 1 design) which are connected by glass panes. Using both the wood and glass has formed the desired relationship between both of my sites, and so this area is now visually pleasing for the residents of Hornchurch. Completing the survey gave me so many requirements for my space like; sheltered seating, communal areas, outdoor seating and tables, open space, enough space for events, many pathways, be disability friendly, a good recycling/litter system, a connection to nature and a consideration for the nature already there. All of these have been fulfilled in my final design, however 2 of these requirements were most important for me a s the designer. Having sheltered seating “pods” creates a space that can adapt to the needs of the individual e.g. a quiet work space for school students, a space to enjoy nature or a place for creatives to sketch the scenery, and all of these spaces I believe were missing from Hornchurch. The other was a “bandstand” that through development turned into a multi-functional open space, with seats surrounding a central point. This idea was important as it would link my design with the Queen’s Theatre, since productions can be held there, as well as concerts. One point that I missed off of my specification was a visual barrier between the roads and my site, since North Street and Billet Lane are some of the busiest roads in Hornchurch. This was important as I wanted my design to be relaxing for all who visit, however because the South section is covered by the existing trees, and the remainder of the site is a lower level, these both have created an unintentional barrier, and therefore another one was not necessary.