Final Countdown.....

Over the next few days I am going to be slowly upload some finished images of renders and models which I have been working on. The first one I am going to upload is a long section through the site showing the different zones of activities which take places in the building.

The next one is of the Anatomical Memorial Theatre.

25/04/2012

Originally my concept developed from playing cards which I arranged on a grid.  I transferred the grid onto the site to create a 7x7m structural grid with large concrete columns which could run through the building.  I then began to arrange levels and blocks of the larger forms onto the site grid at different levels to correspond to the different levels on the concept model.  

In the images below you can see the large and smaller blocks, the yellow block is the performance theatre space and the blue the anatomical theatre memorial space.  The 'sticks' or concrete columns will flow through the space.  The columns will more than likely be constructed from a steel and with a concrete sleeve around the edge with insulation to prevent cold bridging throughout the spaces.  

The roof idea is again from the concept models of playing cards and are panels which are similar shapes but perhaps warped and angled at certain points.  The orange roof pieces represent solid sections of the roof, however the white faces represent a semi-permeable material maybe a metal mesh, I need to complete more research into this development.  I like the idea that the roof structure will cast shadows over the building creating interesting facade details.  

My next move is to complete my plans, sections and elevations along with a material study to then begin developing final models for the presentation in a few weeks. 

Week 4_6/02/2012

Brain Dump Sketch

Previously discussed in the blog was the idea of developing the link of hierarchy and how this could be integrated into the context of the site and building program.  I began my doing a kind of brain dump of information and ideas which were running through my head and noted down the types of people from Huguenots [Immigrants] right up to Noblemen, Kings and Queens. With this I began to look at where the building program would fit into this, what kind of relationship each 'type' or 'grade' of person would have with say the performance theatre or the memorial garden.  

Semi-organised developmental ideas

With this I placed the Performance space at the top end of the scale, its somewhere the rich and royal would have attended, however the poor would have been the actors [called players in those days] of the show.  I think I was a little naive in thinking this after researching into the history now I have discovered that professionals during the 1600's would not have classed acting as a proper career that one could be trained in.  Writing plays was not respected either, Shakespeare was only respected during his lifetime for his poetry.  Similarly, theatres were not nice places to be they were vulgar and classed as places filled with 'sin', some even became brothels and gambling dens.  There were no were women actors if there was a ladies role they would have been played by men or boys.  

So maybe I can develop a modern twist on an old style theatre, it can be located in the site where it covers all levels of class and style but has the grand style which performance spaces have escalated to today, with a variety of seats and levels.  

Sections such as the offices for Huguenots and the doctors surgery are more 'skilled' careers and I would like to put these on a higher level of site to represent the Yeomen to Knights and Noblemen areas of society.  

Over the week I created a concept model to develop a massing and to include the idea of a 'space within a space' concept. 

Concept Model

The idea that the technically richer areas of the site are higher up and in larger detail stuck out as an option to me, and it reminded me of the idea of classical architecture, where stately homes are designed and constructed in a way where the ground level has large open rooms with giant fenestrations. As you work your way up the levels these features get smaller and smaller until you reach the attic rooms at the top which housed the servants of the house.  Again I was thinking about creating a 'modern inverse' on this where the skilled features are on the higher levels of the building and the areas for everyone are lower down... access for all.

Tutorial Sheet No.2

In this weeks tutorial we discussed the idea of levels in society and how cathedrals shows this in the arches hanging over the doors.  The keystone would be where God or Jesus was and as the arch folded out would eventually show the working men.  We discussed how this was a fixed structure in society and people believed that the order could not be changed, inheritance and succession was inevitable and the right way of life. 

The Barber-Surgeons Hall is located in an awkward part of the site, it has positive views onto the roman wall and the garden but it can also see the unattractive site of the Museum of London which I would like to block out. I discussed creating a double eight space around the wall which would enclose the balcony section of the Barber-Surgeons Hall.  

Over the next week I am going to look into the idea of creating spaces and forms along the line of my concept model ready for the inter-crit next week.  As well as investing the history of Shakespeare and the theatres role in society over the years.  I hope to begin planning spaces and locations of the building program. 

Week 3_30/01/2012

This week I have been putting together a timeline since the Tudor period and when the Huguenots began to arrive in England. I have also created a small 1:50 site model for my convenience to help me understand the complexity of the site.  

The above timeline shows a record of the Monarchies of England, which the grey background symbolises the protestant Kings and Queens and the blue Catholics.  It also shows all of the Popes as the head of the Catholic church throughout the time.  The periods of architectural style and popular architects at the time, help to make a comparison between the events of the timeline of what was happening at the time and the architectural movement.  

Below is my tutorial sheet from this week.

During the tutorial my ideas were slightly sporadic as I had thought of odd pieces of the puzzle of how the different types of resources and buildings could fit together on the site.  So we initially just spoke through these ideas then discussed making models to help combine all the pieces together. So I put together a 1:500 site model shown below to see if it would inspire me to link all of my ideas. Furthermore I began sketching out my ideas to see how I could develop them to link together.

1:50 Site Model

Sketch Book - Memorial Space 

Sketch Book - Performance Space

The model shows the heights of the surrounding buildings as well as the different levels on the site location.  The model is quite basic but allows for interpretation and trial and error with testing out massing structures and other ideas.  

The first sketch shows the idea of having a memorial space on the water as previously discussed as the water is reflecting and soothing, I feel that there is a connection between the two.  The second sketch shows an idea of locating the theatre around the roman wall and having it as a permanent feature on the stage.  Therefore whatever show takes place would have to incorporate it into their performance. 

From the model I have decided to look at levels, how they relate on the site and how they could relate in history to the levels of power and wealth which would cover from The King right down to the immigrant Huguenots.  This week I am going to look into how this idea would work on the site in the context and see how this could relate to the materials and building process' I use to produce my final design.  I am also going to do a mapping diagram on the site to show the most 'powerful' and 'richest' locations, which I feel will be at the top of my architectural and historical chain of power.