Playing with blankets....

So where am I now???.......

A wild concept to generate one fluid space, taking inspiration from the blanket concept.

The working Sketch below shows the floor plan/landscape plan taking shape. The form has been generated from the blanket model produced at the initial design stage. The free flowing undulations in the plan and chamfers to the external boundaries all pay on the folds and curves of a blanket as well as taking certain vistas and site restraints into consideration.

You can see that I am still aiming to produce single fluid space, but understand the need for boundaries. I aim to soften these boundaries with the use of glass and other opaque materials, allowing movement to been seen throughout the building. It is my goal to allow the buildings occupants to see right through the building landscape allowing them to choose where to go rather than conform to a prescribed route.

A single undulating floor plan allows me to keep the building relatively low in its surrounding context. Set back from the road reduces the amount the building would dominate both its occupants and its surround in context.

I am also concious of the fact that it is located in a conservation area, a strong inner city suburb. I envisage the building to be a secluded gem within the local frame work, bouth working with the local university and local community.

I still have quite a few things to cover, but feel that with the building fundamentals in place, I can now get moving on the design of project.....

The blanketing effect of the buildings form on approach to the entrance.

The majority of the facilities will be housed in bespoke pods, although some will be entirely open within the floor plan. Areas such as toilets

Work in Progress......

Following the completion of my initial design I began looking "blanket architecture".

Producing precedents study of built examples within the architectural world.

The question I am looking to answer is "can blankets do both floor and roof, and can I go beyond the wall?

Most of the examples I have looked at seem to use the roof to blanket the internal spaces.

Following my precedents study I have started to design the buildings form and looked in depth at spaces that will be created.

Our institutional buildings, in my opinion are to regimented in there approach, forcing there occupants to conform a set way of learning.

I believe that the role of architecture is to suggest ways to use a space rather than prescribe. Users should be actively encouraged to choose where to go , giving them control over there learning and maximise there independence.

With straight lines we can only create cross roads. Yet with curves we can create so much more diverse interaction.

The form generated is taken from the concept model produced at the initial design stage.

It is derived from the notion that architecture, when used in a certain manner, can create social interaction and a sense of security.

The curves and folds of the blanket will create more diverse interactions both internally and externally. Acting as one fluid space brining is occupants together.

The Buildings architecture could allow its facilities to be programmed into the space created. The curves and contours created in a sense form the boundaries of the individual spaces.

The circulation space between breaks away from traditional and institutionalized corridors we see in many school, university and hospitals today.

The occupants can actively choose there route through the building. Valleys in the buildings form allow congregation, generating interaction between occupants.

Its calm flowing curves produce a stress free, soothing environment for the buildings autistic users.

The Buildings main entrance could be at its heart. Approachable from two directions it parentally blankets its potential occupants with is structure before they step foot inside.

A central entrance allows the creation of a journey allowing the building to engage with its potential occupants and the fluid spaces created hold the occupants attention, thus encouraging interaction.