-Final Presentation.

Development- screen shots of design process -note final design not shown

Inhabit

Second Life

In my design for my inhabited space is looking at the idea that the Owen G Glen Building is somewhat an unfriendly environment. Most students are only truly welcome in the basement floor and even then there is a set behaviour that is expected. Also many of the spaces in the building are designed to flow through and not stay in. Therefore I wanted to capitalize on these phenomenon’s and exaggerate what is already occurring. Therefore my design works as a critic of the building. I designed this by a series of moving discs that on first glance the disc/seats look inviting, but when one takes a closer look they realize that they are not as they are moving and do not encourage people to stop and rest. They also work by moving people through the space. These seats are symbolic of the Owen G Glen building is it glassy and glamorous but really the spaces are designed to intentionally move people in and out efficiently and only pause in select spaces. I then pick up on these subtle pauses and designed a walk way up to the top of the lecture room to look into. These discs do not rotate so they allow the inhabitants to move up to the window. I also wanted to do this as currently the space is not telling the inhabitants that it is a lecture area, thus allowing people a greater insight to the building. The materiality of the discs are in the building carpet texture, continuing the idea of the design being harmonious with the building. The discs also work to soften the space as currently it is very sterile and harsh.I also integrated a senseof playfulness into the building as well, to bring some excitement to the space. I also thought about the idea of not being able to change emotions in architecture. So I provided a design that did not totally submerge the occupants in, allowing different outcomes depending on the person.

Min's Critique copied from Facebook-

"I totally agree with your idea of unwelcoming environment of OGGB, and how there are more space encouraging the flow rather than staying in. I think your design, really appeals the idea of flow of movement. Still, i don't quite get the idea of why it is in form of staircase, because i think it would be better to contrast the unwelcoming environment with welcoming device.

I find softness and cozy atmosphere from the chosen material, carpet, and i think it really contrasts with the material used in the upper floors. Also i agree that your design softens the space and integrate playfulness, and i think the material strongly encouraged it to happen.

I really like the idea, how it works from people moving through the space. I think your design links very well with the 'solitary contractuality'. Also how you can directly experience hierarchy by looking down the lecture rooms. "

Treshold

For my Threshold I used the idea of the negative portrayal of the institution from the posters. I 3D- scanned post-its from my trash-hold project, which informed my work as the cross hatching render I abstracted in the walls and ceiling in the design. Another idea I used in the project was the use of opposite words. This was because the design was looking at the negative side of an institution I was aware that there is a positive to all situations so it was important to look at both positive and the negative. The words I choose to focus in on in my design were Evil/good and Dark/Light.

I created a new passage way through the level two studio space and a ramp system up to level 5. I situated the design through existing hall ways and spaces to ensure that movement through the building would not be damaged. The design weaves its way through to the projector space on level two. There are openings in important areas to enable efficient movement, and floor and ceiling height changes to move people through spaces quickly, and then areas where people can stop and pause if they choose to. The threshold works like a balloon as it enlarges in open spaces and contracts in smaller spaces, showing the idea of hierarchal spaces as more space is given to areas that need it. When the passage way reaches the studio space it completely fills the projector space, and acts as a dark room, thus improving the space. There is also series of seating in this space so more people can fit, and also works to reach the level three studio space. The design balloons out to full the mezzanine spaces and there are ramps to access the upper floors.

The wall and floor surfaces of the threshold are made of a tensile membrane weave of flexible plastic. The weave then expands and contracts out to form openings, therefore in the larger spaces in the design more light is let into the spaces.

I also thought about the idea of the carnival in my threshold. It is completely open to the public allowing everyone in. But as my design is more theatrical, showing both sides to the institution, people will have to be willing to accept this before entering into the threshold.

Therefore my threshold accepts the environment that it is in, working with the building and the institution in a subtly ‘grotesque’ way. It deals with the flow of people by protecting existing movements and creating new and exciting ones and creates spaces that enhance the buildings use.

Min's critique copied from Facebook-

"Before i read about your explanation, i think in overall your design contains a really interesting fluency from the weeved form and the curviliar structure. Somehow to me it looks as if it is a living organism as a whole.

I think your chosen words(or focus), evil/good and dark/light have been developed well throughout the contrast of its fuction with the 'dark room'. Still, i think the idea of evil and good could have been even more exaggerated, like for example your design did not damage the building but if the 'evil' part damaged the building and 'good' part stays as efficient and not damaging the building, it might create more contrast of the two focuses.

I think it was very thoughtful how you linked your design ideas with 'grotesque'. I think the sketches of your design development shows how thoughtfully the final design was decided, and I think both aesthetically and functionally your design conveys idea of Thrash-hold effectively."

Photoshop image with 'Trash can' in studio

Image completed as additional work after critique.

Trash-hold Pictures, with Grotesque Poster, Design 2

For the Trash-Hold assignment I created a design that has visual access to design ideas. With the idea that something is ‘out of site, out of mind’ I made a multi media system that was visually accessible. Therefore the design creates a spontaneous, ever-changing effect as work is layered upon each other. This creates new ideas and images as work that is put on would respond to work beside it, therefore it would also be a way of generating new ideas as well as storing them.

The design consists of different materials. The bottom layer is made of corkboard, then white board, clear acrylic board and also the use of digital media with the computer screen. The materials are placed in a hierarchal order, with the denser materials at the bottom and multi-use clearer materials at the front. There is also the use of different pinned/attached materials. Around by the computer screen there are post-its, where ideas can quickly be drawn and wrote down. Therefore this space is created as the quick rapid ideas space, which is encouraged by the computer screen that flashes images. The space above of this area is the layered drawings section, where images can be drawn over many times in many different mediums. Images here can be removed, replaced, altered, from no images at the beginning of the design to when you can virtually not see the board anymore.

The final model was made in 1:1 scale.

Min's critique.

Copied from Facebook message-

"I really like the idea of overlapping and how it exhibits different ideas all at once, but i think it would have been better if there was a feature that allows you to focus on certain points so you can pick one random idea more easily.

I also felt that it would've been better if you exaggerated the curved surface of your device like the beginning. I found it rather flat than 3D surface despite that fact that there was lots of overlapping of ideas.
About the computer monitor, i think it would be so cool when your device is covering a whole studio space, not just one part of wall. "

Trash-hold Pictures, Design 2