Spatial design.

The final project for my other studio class was to pick a specific site within my university, and, having analysed it through applying ‘Goethean scientific methodology’, improve it.

My space chosen was effectively dead space, a place where no one felt welcome to relax or to meet, and a place that lacked suitable seating despite being well positioned as a mid-campus ‘pitt stop’.

We were to undertake an iterative process and to develop our ideas specifically through model making.

My key aims were to provide: seating, a welcoming area, and shelter.

My first model provided bench seating as well as a ‘wind shield’ due to the area often resembling a wind tunnel.

Moving on from that I created an Olafur Eliasson-inspired tunnel to make the path nearby more interesting and engaging. Thus tunnel also came about due to Paul Jackson’s 2011 book Folding Tecniques for Designers: From Sheet to Form.

Moving away from that idea, and after experimenting with folded cardboard I formed this shape.

When I moved the two side elements of this design around I noted its resemblance to a moth and so decided to enhance this. The lines in the ‘wings’ were experiments for in-built seating.

From the moth idea came the notion of having a light bulb moment, yet initial drawings of a giant light bulb monument revealed this to be impractical. Nonetheless, I liked the idea of creating some kind of sculptural form along with seating.

I moved away from cardboard and began to experiment with geometric forms and balsa wood.

Yet I still wanted the area to be practical and so I returned to a simple bench seat with a cover.

I then combined these ideas, albeit in a chaotic kind of way.

I once more returned to the idea of benches and created two variations.

From this I formed a frame with sheltered areas. With this formed, I experimented, again, with types of seating.

I was pleased with the frame and so built a copy on which I attached the reclining seats of the final model. This model provides seating and shelter while also being site-specific within the university and due to its placement outside a bookshop, as the frame and shape of the seat reflects the shape of an open book.

And finally, here are the presentation boards displaying an A1 abstract spatial analysis, photographs of the site, plans, elevations, sections and renderings of the final design.