Second project of the year had its final review a couple of weeks ago, it went fairly well for all the part-timers involved. The reviewing lecturer say that I'm 'in the zone' whatever the zone is supposed to mean. I think I'm actually starting to understand what is required of me now, i won't say that its clicked... but I'm getting there, I feel i'm at a good point now. I've just posted the word from presentation boards and some images for now.

Hull house project...

Brief
To design a family house on a site in Hull, UK.

Site
A public pathway connecting two areas of housing in Hull. Used by pedestrians, cyclists and dog walkers alike. The site runs parallel to the pathway on its south side, and a railway embankment on its north side.

Canopy
A public walkway flanked by trees, vegetation and hard landscaping. All working together to create a physical canopy over the path and its user. This canopy gives different feeling to the users as they walk along the site, fluctuating as you move through, enclosing to create a sense of overbearing closeness, then opening again to give open space, and relaxing its grip.



Analytical process - Interpolation of canopy
By plotting the position of the trees on the site and linking them together, a framework is created across intersecting the contours of the canopy. The gridwork increases in density moving from west to east along the pathway. This increase in density can be related to a the process of living. Relaxation space is occupies a large open spaces. Bedrooms, bathrooms, studies, are places of privacy and lend themselves to a closer, denser place.



Development of analytical process
Taking the mesh created by the treeline and the representation of canopy and turning them into architectonic form. The mesh is rationalised to form a basis for wall position, with the canopy representation becoming the basis of elevational form. The building takes the shape of the interaction between the canopy and the tree mesh. Facades represent the fluid movement along the site providing open space but also closing in on the pathway, replicating the closeness of the existing trees on the site both externally and internally.



Materials
A simple palette of materials have been used. Horizontal timber boarding, and in-situ concrete with formwork imprints draw the eye along the length of the building, accentuating the linear representation. Obscure glazing at low level protect the occupants from the people using the path looking in. The timber screen also provides the same function, providing a protective element to the enclosed garden.
Analytical process - representation of canopy
Taking the restrictions identified in the site photographs and representing them graphically in the form of three dimensional contours, flowing along the length of the site. They indicate a linear movement, flowing from tight bottleneck to open space and back again as the user moves long the pathway.



Most of it is architectural bs, but I think it makes some sense, as usual, crit away, if you don't understand something, let me know and I'll clarify.

D

P.S. The title is a quote from our final review, a passing lecturer was looking one of the part-timers work pinned up and immediately homed in on a lovely hand sketch which unfortunately made her really good intruiging project look like a Swiss Chalet. Prompting him to say 'it all gone a bit Swiss Chalet' which tickled the reviewing lecturer to an extent that he launched into such a diatribe about her project that when he'd finished he moved onto the next person, leaving her without actually saying a single thing or presenting her project.... Doh