Exercise 3.3: Design Development

Aim:This exercise will help you to refine your pavilion design through a continued process of iterative sketching, but this time you will be developing a final concept. You will also start working at scale to turn your concept sketches into a workable design.

• Is the design beginning to meet the brief ?
• Are there weaknesses? If so what are they?
• Are there strengths? If so what are they

The brief for the design and meaning of my pavilion is to Design a Pavilion, no larger than 9m2 in footprint and no higher than 6m, in the City of Lichfield to provide an Information Point on the local history or Children. I think my design I have produced is definitely hitting the brief, as I have incorporated modern ideas with classic historic ones, whilst still keeping in mind the occupant and the reason of why the pavilion is there. For example, the materials I have used are mindful of the environment which is a slightly more modern way of working, whilst also having the aesthetic that i wanted. The iron sheets with the orange rust, makes it stand out from the green belt and dull aged walls surrounding the location. Even though the brief doesn’t state that the design needs to be modern in itself, i think this helps the attraction to the pavilion as the children will think of it as a breath of fresh air compared to the other buildings in Lichfield. The information within the Pavilion, which was collected within the research section of this project, which hits the brief as an information point. The design on the floor, tree stump stools and the basic facts displayed in he building, also hits the brief for the occupant section.

With every design, there is both strengths and weakness’. Even though my design fits my brief, I think there are still some room for improvements within the aesthetics and function. Starting off with the main material, which is rusted iron sheets. Even though these look nice, it is not the safest for children to be playing within or near as rust can be dangerous. This could be stopped by a top coat or sealant to prevent sharp edges from surfacing from the walls. Another weakness to my design is that it is very centered around the Cathedral, in particular the view. I think this is a good thing to an extent but doesn’t necessarily hit the brief directly as it states an information point, if I re-designed i would focus more on the displaying of the information. On the other hand I think there are many strengths to my design. For example the modern aesthetic, and walk through aspect of the pavilion. this creates a smooth flow to not only the building, but the path to and around it whilst it follows the arc of the pool. The floor material (rubber Mulch) is safe in case a child falls, over concrete or tarmac which is a strength to my design. Along with the childish like features such as the tree stumps and the basic displayed information.

Exercise 3.2: Materiality

Aim:Now you are starting to develop your concept into a feasible, workable design you need to start thinking in a bit more detail. This project will help you specify the materials that your pavilion is going to be made from, and why.
Every project must include this so that you and others know what the structure and its elements will be made from and how will be constructed. The materials may also help shape and form your final design.

Exercise 3.1: Concept Development

Aim: This exercise will help you to work through your concept using sketches and model-making. The concept development is an essential part of the design process as it shows how your concept evolves. It is important in knowing which parts to keep and which parts to discard. This can happen throughout the process, and then you may go back a number of steps, to reincorporate something discarded. For this reason, it is important that the process is visualised and undertaken chronologically. If this is done after a design has been realised, in what we called (post-rationalisation) it can lead to design failure. Ultimately the aim of this exercise is to develop your ability to critically analyse and assess your own work so that you can make confident design decisions. If you feel at this stage you need to radically change or alter parts of the design, now is the time to do it.

Exercise 2.3: Initial Concept Proposals

Aim: This exercise will help you to form a concept for your design. A concept is an initial or abstract idea that has yet to be fully developed.
In order to create a meaningful space or place, a good designer always has a rationale for the look and feel of their design. The decisions they make about size, shape, form, materials, details and organisation of elements are inspired, influenced or informed by the site (or context), the occupant and the function. The overriding idea that drives all these decisions is called a concept.

Exercise 2.2: Precedent Studies

Aim: This exercise will challenge you to find precedent examples that have some significant connection to the project so far. Precedent Studies are about identifying and analysing existing designs to identify similarities and connections that might inform and shape our designs. This exercise will help you find some Precedents that will inspire you to develop your design further.
Designers rarely design anything completely from scratch, because there are so many things that already exist in the world that provide an existing foundation or offer inspiration for the design.
Whether consciously or not, we are influenced and informed by everything around us. It is important to remember that Precedent Studies help inform and develop these ideas so that designers can engage in conscious and purposeful research. They are not about plagiarising ideas or copying someone else’s designs.

The largest museum in Germany, ampliation by Daniel Libeskind. This Museum is located is Dresden in Germany, and it the largest museum in the Country at a size of 21,000 square feet. Saxon Armory, Nazi,Soviet and East Germany history were all main parts of this museum which founded. The building had been closed for 22 years before the New York born architect Daniel Libeskind re-designed this deserted building and re-opened in 2011.The most interesting aspect of this modern design against a dated building, is the sharp point launching itself in the air. The direction is heading eastwards, 30 metre’s high in the air, which is the same direction that the source of firebombs in the war were dropped. The abnormal shaped point also has five levels, showcasing the history, with exposed concrete walls separating the different sections. This Precedent relates to my Pavilion idea as iit is going to be an information pint, and this architecture is combining old dated design with a more modern aspect, which could be a design idea for me. For example, taking design inspiration from the Cathedral design and having a modern spin on it.

Stealth Building (New York City) This loft residence is located within the heart of New York City, designed by an architect named WORKac. It gets its name form a ‘hidden rooftop structure that contains the development’s three story penthouse- according to https://www.designboom.com/architecture/workac-stealth-building-new-york-hidden-penthouse-obsidian-house-93-reade-street-11-10-2016/. Because of New York’s strict architectural rules, meant that any rooftop addition needed to be visible, which was classed as a remarkable challenge as it is located with a low structure nearby and on a corner plot. With the distinctive rooftop, the building stands out within the skyscraper backdrop of the city. Coloured in a modern charcoal colour, with added hints of burnt red timber for the decking really add to the individual design. This is a Precedent building as it a Penthouse which has been redesigned in a different way for different uses. Instead of an average every day flat, this has aspects with centred around a hot tub on the decking, and a asymmetric roof. This links to my research for my design as it has large glass windows facing the city surrounding it which improves the view and acts as a viewing point. Hopefully I will be able to incorporate this within my design so the Cathedral is visible maybe using a glass skylight or large windows looking out over the pool.

Convent de Sant Francesc / David Closes. This Precedent stands in Santpedor France, and was built in the eighteenth century. Classed as a Convent Complex it was built by Franciscan priests and includes a renovated church, however was demolished in 2000 by the state as the remains of the building were in a very poor condition. Renovations started in 2003 by architect David Closes and helped bring a modern aesthetic to the ruined historical building. My favourite aspect to this architectural design is the quirky glass panels facing the road, which gives you an insight into the interior design of the property. I felt like this Precedent links to my research as it is incorporating a historic building/ location and adding new architectural techniques.

Exercise 2.1: Defining the Brief

Aim: In this exercise you will select the ‘occupant’ and the ‘function’ for your brief, and using this additional information, you can define your brief further.
Whenever we design anything, whether it’s an interior, a building, an object or a piece of furniture, we should always design for the user. This user can be a single person or a particular type of person, such as a specific age group or gender. This does not mean that you are excluding all other people or groups, but it allows you to design with more focus. For example, a shop that sells clothes aimed at teenagers and twenty-somethings will have an interior that has been designed with a particular look and feel (and possibly sound) that appeals to that specific demographic, but it shouldn’t make other age-groups feel completely unwelcome (although sometimes that is the case!). User-led design will ensure that your design is always appropriate and relevant.
The user is sometimes referred to as the client, customer, consumer, end-user, target audience, but in interior design, it is more typically known as the ‘occupant’.
Similarly, buildings and interiors usually cater for a specific need or have a specific use. They can be multi-purpose (such as Hybrid Spaces, which we will discuss in later courses), but they are usually designed to accommodate a specific activity or to provide a specific experience to the occupant or user.
In Architecture and Interior Design, the use or purpose of a building is often referred to as ‘function’.

All three of these occupant options would work within Lichfield, as there are train stations for commuters to access the City, a park close to my location for children and many café’s and scenic areas for the aging community. However, based on my research and my chosen location, not many commuters will pass my pavilion. So, choosing them as an occupant would be difficult as it is over a ten-minute walk away from the public transport hotspots. I think both children and the aging community would work well for my Pavilion’s chosen occupant as the location brings in both age groups. Having the pool with ducks brings children to see and feed them, there is also the park across the road, however this could be a negative as the children might be drawn to the park over the pool. There are benches for the elderly to sit and enjoy the view, also there are small quirky café’s and restaurants near by the location. However, the Cathedral is so close I think they would by pass the pool and go straight there, also I am struggling to think of an idea that isn’t already around the location. In conclusion I think the occupation I want my pavilion to be based around it children, I think this would be more fitting for Lichfield and would add to the location in a better way. For example it will bring more children into the Minster pool area, and would bring them closer to the Cathedral and depending on the function it might be a learning opportunity for them about the City.

Each function listed would be ideal for my chosen occupant. For example, as it is next to the Cathedral and you can see it from the pool, I think a viewing post would be nice with a glass sun roof for the children to look up at the view, however with the trees above this, maintenance would intense to keep this clean. A resting place wouldn’t necessarily work with the children occupancy, as I don’t think children would want to stop and enjoy the design of the pavilion. I think the information point would be the most beneficial for the location and the children using it. Having basic history and maps for children means the pavilion could be come interactive and have a second use to it. Also I think this would double as a socialising space for the children as they will come together in one spot to learn about the city.

Design a Pavilion, no larger than 9m2 in footprint and no higher than 6m, in the City of Lichfield to provide an Information Point on the local history or Children.

Exercise 1.3: Site Analysis: Personal Response

Aim: The aim of this exercise is to understand your chosen site more fully by undertaking an indepth analysis through primary research, similar in approach to Part 1 of this unit. Once you have fully explored your site, you will be better equipped to create a design response that is appropriate to the site and appropriate to the brief as well as creative.

The location of the space I have picked is in the centre of Lichfield, near the Minster Pool. I have chosen this because of many reasons, for example it is an open space where you can clearly see the spires from the Cathedral. It is also a walkway from Beacon park to the main streets of the centre which creates traffic of the public through the space. I have started to plan out the surrounding area, including the buildings, spacing between them and the direction of the path. Below is some sketches to reflect this.

Path lining the Minster Pool, next to a Restaurant.
Other side with the the pool on the right and tree’s following the path.

I have made a watercolour sketch of the pool with tress next to it and a path leading through it. I then added Tracing paper over this drawing, to show the different sounds that you would hear whilst in the location. Some of these sounds would be he ducks in the pool, children screaming with joy as they run around, or the sound of high heels strutting down the path of office workers. Below I have scanned in the overlay of tracing paper over the watercolour. The darker shading represents the louder sounds, for example the sound of the road over the bridge at the end of the pool. There is also sound sketches such as scribble like motions for the quacking of the ducks, and birds in the trees. Along the path I have made the noise sketches of traffic walking along the pool, such as talking and the crackle of dried autumn leaves.

Sound Overlay

Below is the same as the sound but for the movement and behaviour observing. I have showcases this in different colours, the darker it gets the more traffic passes through this section from the public. I have also used ‘fire’ colours to represent this as it shows that the warmer it is (darker red) the more frequent people pass through the space; the lighter yellow strokes represent the less used sections. I have aimed most of the behaviour sketches to the path as this is where most movements are happening. There are some across the grass to the left and a tiny bit close to the pool.

Movement Overlay

There is a ray of different materials around the location I have chosen. The wall behind the pavilion space is made of an average brick, shown below from an image I have sourced off the internet. There is also grass and an array of trees all over the Minster pool location, which add a scenic aspect of the environment. The path had decorative slabs lined with concrete for a durable function but adds personality to the site as it has a better aesthetic compared to just tarmac for example. I have also taken some photos of the location and included them below.

As the space is quite open it has a lot of sun light all day long. There are some trees blocking some light causing some shadows along the path and against the pool, the fence also has the same effect depending on where the sun it as what time. I have included some sketches below on where and how the shadows effect the Pool scene. As I have mentioned previously, the space is very open only with a few trees sheltering the space. This creates a freeing emotion as you pass through the space because you can feel the seasons around you. For example, in the autumn you can feel the chill in the air and the sound of the crunchy leaves beneath your feet, in the summer you have the sun beaming down on you through the gaps in the trees and the smell of the burger van in the car park selling to hungry customers. The weather and season plays a large part in the emotions you feel as you walk through this space. Below I have included some pictures i have taken of my chosen pavilion area to get a better feel of the light,shadows and landscape.

The space around my chosen space for my pavilion is quite open, with a wall bordering the back of the site cutting off the carpark behind it. There is also a large grass space where I plan to place my pavilion, which is larger than my floorplan limit, so some grass would still be around my building. Opposite the location is the pool with a black metal fence bordering it the whole way around. In the distance you can see the cathedral and its three spires towering over the large oak trees at the far end of the pool. In my sketch I have made rough estimations of the distances between the different aspects.

Exercise 1.2: Site Selection & Documentation

Aim: The aim of this exercise is to find an interesting and appropriate site for your pavilion. This could be located inside or outside. Using primary and secondary research you will identify a location and provide convincing rationale for your decision. Providing a rationale is a necessary part of every design proposal and will help to make your design choices meaningful rather than arbitrary.

Exercise 1.1: Pavilion Research

Aim: In order to design a pavilion, you must first know what one is. The aim of this exercise is to explore the Preliminary Brief so that you can respond to the brief confidently and appropriately. Using secondary (and possibly primary) research create a visual annotated record of your research.

• What is a pavilion?
• What are they used for?
• Who uses them?
• Why do they exist – what is their history?
• Where are they located?
• How big are they?
• Are there some contemporary examples of pavilions?