The Zaha Hadid exhibition at the design musem offered some really nice and varied work. There was a large range of different graphical techniques, as well as some great models and projections.
zaha hadid @ design museum
Two lover's nest: paddington basin
Initial concept
These were the initial landform models for the imaginary canalside site. the initial idea showed the nest being sculpted from the shape of the land, and becoming a safe, secluded nest that may be surrounded or covered.
I looked at examples of secluded, private nests as this is the kind of nest that was required by the two people who who be using it. I also started looking at waterfalls as the veil of water created by them creates an elegant covering.
I then tried to develope the landform further, and had the nest dug down into the ground so that it was protected most of the way around, and would be less visible and more secluded.i also looked into creating a roof covering that water could run over to create a water veil, covering most of the open part of the nest which then flowed into the canal.
This is the final concept image, which was a photograph of a model worked over on computer. It shows the main ideas for the nest: a secluded place that is on the threshold between land and water.
Paddington basin: proposed site
This photo shows the extent of the actual site in paddington basin.
These photos show the canal side site
This was a quick sketch model made after the visit to the site which was to try applying the concept to the shape of the site
This is a plan and section of the site as it is
I looked at precedent projects that had used water and waterfalls. I wanted to design in such a way that the forms and shapes would take inspiration from natural forms that occur in the relevant geographical processes. The precendents that interested me the most were Frank Lloyd Wright's 'Fallingwater', which mimics its natural surroundings such as the way the rock lies, and also fountains by Lawrence Halprin, which used ragged, irregular contoured levels which looked as though they had been cut by hydraulic action.
I started working over the base plan and section of the existing site, changing the topography and the area of the edge in contact with the canal. I tried to create shapes that looked like they could have been carved out by the action of the water. I looked at the plunge pull and the undercut created at the base of the waterfall and applied this in section.
first development model, shows how the topography would look in 3d, with the nest area being a carved out area that would be behind the veil of water.
this was a photo of the model rughly applied to a photograph of the site to get a feel of how such a landform may look in the real setting.
I looked back at the intial concept and looked at sinking the nest underground, which would have made it more private. However it would have removed the proximity of the water from the people useing the nest, and i think this would have taken something away from the whole point of using the waterfall.
I also tried to work out other natural looking forms for the 'public' area, which was to provide an area for other people to use, and to be a sort of ' diversional' area to draw attention away from the nest.
this model was based on the nest buried under the ground.
This image was to show how the waterfall and topography would look on the paddington site.
This is the final model. It shows the waterfall with the nest behind it. the walk up to the waterfall is not obvious in order to keep it as a sanctuary for the two clients. There is a small pool with areas around it for seating for other office workers and members of the public to use
These were the initial landform models for the imaginary canalside site. the initial idea showed the nest being sculpted from the shape of the land, and becoming a safe, secluded nest that may be surrounded or covered.
I looked at examples of secluded, private nests as this is the kind of nest that was required by the two people who who be using it. I also started looking at waterfalls as the veil of water created by them creates an elegant covering.
I then tried to develope the landform further, and had the nest dug down into the ground so that it was protected most of the way around, and would be less visible and more secluded.i also looked into creating a roof covering that water could run over to create a water veil, covering most of the open part of the nest which then flowed into the canal.
This is the final concept image, which was a photograph of a model worked over on computer. It shows the main ideas for the nest: a secluded place that is on the threshold between land and water.
Paddington basin: proposed site
This photo shows the extent of the actual site in paddington basin.
These photos show the canal side site
This was a quick sketch model made after the visit to the site which was to try applying the concept to the shape of the site
This is a plan and section of the site as it is
I looked at precedent projects that had used water and waterfalls. I wanted to design in such a way that the forms and shapes would take inspiration from natural forms that occur in the relevant geographical processes. The precendents that interested me the most were Frank Lloyd Wright's 'Fallingwater', which mimics its natural surroundings such as the way the rock lies, and also fountains by Lawrence Halprin, which used ragged, irregular contoured levels which looked as though they had been cut by hydraulic action.
I started working over the base plan and section of the existing site, changing the topography and the area of the edge in contact with the canal. I tried to create shapes that looked like they could have been carved out by the action of the water. I looked at the plunge pull and the undercut created at the base of the waterfall and applied this in section.
first development model, shows how the topography would look in 3d, with the nest area being a carved out area that would be behind the veil of water.
this was a photo of the model rughly applied to a photograph of the site to get a feel of how such a landform may look in the real setting.
I looked back at the intial concept and looked at sinking the nest underground, which would have made it more private. However it would have removed the proximity of the water from the people useing the nest, and i think this would have taken something away from the whole point of using the waterfall.
I also tried to work out other natural looking forms for the 'public' area, which was to provide an area for other people to use, and to be a sort of ' diversional' area to draw attention away from the nest.
this model was based on the nest buried under the ground.
This image was to show how the waterfall and topography would look on the paddington site.
This is the final model. It shows the waterfall with the nest behind it. the walk up to the waterfall is not obvious in order to keep it as a sanctuary for the two clients. There is a small pool with areas around it for seating for other office workers and members of the public to use
Kingston Gateways
The aim of the project was to create a new gateway into kingston town. This meant looking at what a gateway is and what it signifies, and the many forms and scales that a gateway can take. This meant researching existing gateways from around the world.
There are several gateways into kingston that kingston council had already indicated, however i looked into other possible gateway sites that i thought may be a significant enough entrance point that a gateway could be justifyable in such a location. i decided that my focus gateway would be at the site of kingston bridge as this seemed a significant entry point between two towns, as well as two counties, and to me seemed to be the most impressive and significant gateway site that could be made into something that would become synonymous with entry into kingston
The site analysis of kingston bridge showed 3 main factors for consideration. The first of these was the divergence of the various users of this gateway as they entered the town. Cyclists and pedestrians split in a different direction to vehicles as they passed the gateway point. Also, one of the gateways key features was the line of sight down the high street when travelling into the town. The other factor was the area that was not an efficient use of space as it was currently a single bench facing a brick wall planter.
My idea for the new gateway was a composite fabric structure which would be wide enough that every person passing through the gateway, by whichever mode of transport would pass underneath it and feel the effect of approaching, being on the threshold of, and arriving into the town. It would also have an open section at the back as you are approaching so that the line of sight down the highstreet is almost framed in a window in the structure, so that as you drive past you get a snapshot of one of modern kingston's best known assests- its shops.
This plan of the proposed gateway also shows a re-developed area just inside the gateway as this area was previously under-utilised. By adding new, more sensibly layed out seating as well as grass and plated areas, it provides an area where people can sit and relax as well as something more noticeable and pleasant to pass through for the pedestrians and cyslists entering the town.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
