Presentation Review: Molly Brankin

Molly has designed a space to follow the brief of: To consider aspects of Tikanga Maori as an intervention of space incorporated within a journey. A space that reflects a state of spirituality; to rest your mind and body, forming a genuine connection to those who have come before without any outside conflict/noise. A public space of belonging and respect.

With her presentation she clearly was able to articulate her ideas and how they are shown in her design. I feel like she has done a new design instead of following the exact aspects of Tikanga Maori - but has interpreted specific aspects such as using the frame work of the original house to act as the bones of ancestors. Her ideas of the original and traditional aspects are really well reflected in her design. The top area at the top of the stairs, I would maybe ask if she just wants it to be an open space or to have something in it which can act as a way of bringing everyone together as people from Maori culture creates this big family feel. Still keeping it simple though. 

Over all I was very amazed of how she interpreted the culture into her design without doing a complete mock of what is already standing today and without creating something that was culturally insensitive.

Photoshop Developing

 The first three images I have really tried to show the light streaming into the space as it would during the day. Looking up at the opening sky light the rendering of the light on the multiple angles of the concrete wall I personally think looks great and looks like I wanted it to, and comes across the way I wanted it to. The smooth surfaces of the different angles really do translate light and shadows.

 This is my attempt at my plan - just the basic house with my design located integrated in the original house. Here you can see the wooden panels of the flooring and the concrete colour and the lines of the concrete angled wall leading up to the open sky light. In the image below I have added shaded shapes representing the houses next door to 20 Wallace Street, and the road at the front of the site.

 In my section I have tried to really show the impact of light in the space. The light coming down through the sky light and light tunnel is really projected in the space. As the concrete walls are thick and bold, the walls here are also thick in black lines indicating the density of them. I have left the rest of the house bare and minimal as it is not part of my designed space. The image below I have added aspects to relate the section to the site.

Indigo Renderring

The images below are from Indigo - these show my design in texture, including the interior images looking up towards the opening sky light.

(Floating in space will be dealt with in further developments)

The glass panel in the design did not come up as transparent - it would be.

The texture of the wooden floor has not come up in Indigo unfortunately 

The opening of the design at daylight

The design in process of moving as it transitions from closed to open (Night - sunrise)

The design closed as it would be over night, The sun is rising so  would be about to move in to the image above

Further Design Development

Developing my design, I have made it in Sketch up and with integrating my previous design into the original house as an area that would be located within the courtyard out the back. I have made this space very tall to be able to get the low sun rise of the morning over the house roof. The material is a dark coloured concrete as I wanted the walls to be thick and not let in any light, that is solely for the circular opening at the top and also the glass void that runs in line with the suns path, diagonally across the designs roof and down the back wall. In the images below you can also see the shape and angles of the wall leading up to the opening sky light that interacts with the natural light and forms different shades as each angle reacts differently with the suns position.

Voids

Voids are an empty space, often where light comes in - in a design. These examples below are different ways of generating light forms and having slits and open spaces where light come into the space. Even by using indents like in the wardrobe example, the light coming from above creates depth and different shades. Thick materials are often used to block light out where not needed. These are aspects that I could include in my design to inform the space inside.

Development

Developing my design further I need to really think about the inside space. Making it more of a spatial experience - how does it feel inside the space?

If it is really just all about the space, is it purely about the light? Can a person be inside it easily? Size. Integrate it within the original house?

Beginning to think about the treatment of the space inside the design, with keeping the opening and closing structure at the top of the cone I am now going to play with integrating it into the house and tilt it so that the angle is more accurately in the suns path. I have also rotated the whole house to have it North East facing which is the actual direction of the house on the site. This will allow me to get the same sun angle and direction for my drawings.

Also inside the space the angles of the wall could be altered to create different shadows and highlights as the sun light comes into the space.

I have played with different angles in a model, trying to see what the light would do to each surface in terms of shadows

Sketch Up Model