STEPHANIE HOUSTON ITDS-3054 SPRING STUDIO PROJECT 1:HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCE
ANWAAR
a taste of the Middle East
The word ‘anwaar’ is a girl or boy’s name used in the Middle East meaning “radiance”, “light”, or “glow”. There are separate connotations of this name for boys and girls, however this one can be used for both genders. In this way I am naming a place where everyone is welcome, not just one or the other. In the Middle East, the home is designed around privacy which designates separate quarters for the men and woman. While my space reflects this old concept through various interpretations of privacy, I do not want to build off of this segregated tradition. These are modern times in Brooklyn, New York, where men and women can relax in privacy together if they so choose. Through the use of degrees of privacy, along with inspiration from Middle Eastern artwork, this restaurant offers a temporary escape to guest from the outside world. Evidence of this is seen through the use of different levels of seating, source of lighting and custom wall details that offer visual boundaries. The bar and lounge area is raised so that those in the vicinity can peer down upon the rest of the restaurant. Without putting a wall up, that environment feels cozier and more exclusive. And then there is the lower level with much broader seating options. The use of this curved wall hovering over the tables encaptures those underneath and gives a sense of awe. This wall system grounds the space and makes a larger area feel more intimate. Lastly, the use of incandescent lighting throughout the restaurant as a means of universal lighting gives off a sense of warmth and in this way a close-knit environment.
INITIAL RESEARCH + PROCESS WORK ARCADES These symbolize boundaries in Islamic art and architecture and are an indication that one is passing into a sacred space LIGHT Muslims associate light with holiness and God (like Christians) It is said God existed as light before the world was created Frequently incorporated into mosque architecture to symbolize divinity Use of symbols for light CLIMATE Majority of the time: Hot and dry Summers: Temperature usually around 85 F and go up from there (Saudi Desert 120F are common) MOSAICS&ART Islamic law says that Mohammad cannot be portrayed in any illustration, sculpture, or other similiar form; this led to the development of non-figurative mosaics and patterns which have evolved Tiled murals have been widely used to decorate the interior walls and spaces of many Islamic mosques in both antiquity and the modern era Various shades of blue are frequently used in these designs, especially in floral patterns
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
FLOORPLAN : FLOORING DETAIL
FURNITURE DETAI L
REFLECTED CEILING PLAN
SECTION 2
SECTION 1
PARAMETRIC PATTERNS
Screens are used throughout the Middle East as a means of decoration, religion, and privacy. The way light passes through the intricate patterns of these screens is a means of art in itself and is widely seen. Based on this research, I wanted to incorporate this idea of a screen to create visual privacy between various zones throughout the space but with a more modern approach. I looked to parametric design as my inspiration, and began with a simple polygon and eventually evolved it into small bursts of stars. As the pattern moves up along the wall, the cut outs get deeper and deeper until passing completely through it. These cuts reveal a new material behind the white plaster walls. Insets of flexible glass bead wallpaper add a luminance to the wall when the light hits, and as the cuts go up the wall, the inlaid material changes to a transparent 3form material. These two surfaces bring a warm glow and sparkle to the space, giving this feeling of comfort and enclosure to guests to offer a more intimate experience in a larger space. This technique used on my walls is meant to suggest the beyond, for even though one cannot necessarily see the entirety of the restaurant at all times, this pattern suggests that there is more to come simply a few steps away.
ANWAAR
a taste of the Middle East