Mid-Semester Break Development
(Mid-Semester Break and Week 7: Development and Feedback)
During the mid-semester break, our group looked at how we can bring together the concepts from the two schemes we presented at our mid-semester critique. Combining the two concepts, we are focusing on the idea of gradient, and choice and variation since each student has different preferences and requirements for their study spaces.
Initially, we had the study pods stacked up vertically in a straight line with an undulating landscape surrounding it. The landscape is used to give access to the higher parts of the towers as well as create opening on the facade (entrance). We made a bigger model of our scheme to see how the landscape could be organised around the towers within the building. The landscape reflects our idea of variation as its organic shapes create different study environments as each pod will have different views and lighting quality. However, after exploring through our massing models, we realised the pods would not be very accessible since the slope would be too steep for people to walk on.
To make the pods more accessible, the landscape is simplified, stairs and paths are added to connect towers, and the study pods are shifted slightly to the side instead of having them stacked up in a straight line. Each of us made different arrangements of study pods, which our main focus was on accessibility and circulation. Each study pod can be accessed through stairs and paths. For mine, I made five variations, including individual study spaces, small group study spaces, large group study spaces, the combination of individual and large group study spaces, and the combination of all types. I also looked at how the resting spaces can be spread among the clusters. Some study pods are turned into a grid structure with transparent walls. These structures can be another kind of resting area for students to have a quick break from their study.
We also decided that we want to use the idea of the landscape for the roof and have sleeping pods embedded within it. However, we realised that the area under the top landscape would be quite dark, so we brought back the skylight we introduced during our mid-semester critique. Some parts of the undulating roof will be cut through to allow natural light into the building and study pods.
The layout of spaces within our building is organised using the grid (horizontal grid: 1m x 1m, vertical grid: 1.5m x 1m). With the idea of gradient that we had in our initial concept, the study spaces are arranged in a way that they fade from large group study spaces to small group study spaces, then to individual study spaces. The gradient reflects our site analysis of how people gather and circulate through the site. The individual study pods, which require more privacy, will be located towards the north of our site, as this part is further apart from gathering spaces.
The landscape would cover the whole site to create a continuous flow of people as landscape acts as a means that merges the building’s interior and surroundings. The landscape creates large openings on the facade to allow the main access to the building. Additionally, with the undulating organic form, the landscape is also used as the recreation and resting space.
Feedback:
- Consider how the central courtyard can be used.
- The roof can be extended out from the facade to provide shelter for the courtyard.
- Roof structure needs to be considered — how would it be supported
- The function and concept of the roof need to be defined.
- Shelters should be added to the roof to make it accessible both during summer and winter — add the second layer to the roof
- The size of the study pods should respond to the defined users.
- Suggested precedents: Habitat 67 by Moshe Safdie and Yokohama International Passenger Terminal by FOA
