Ways of Making – Making Spaces

Initial Research

Focusing on the urban area of Dundee, the task of the project was to investigate and create a new public space concept for a connected society focusing on either interacting with the public in an ‘Active’ manner (getting people moving) or a ‘Calm’ manner (pausing for reflection).

In order to truly fit our designs into the landscape we were tasked as one of fifteen groups to explore a location of Dundee and report back with information, informing the entire class about the ethnography of Dundee. From such a project, it was noted that:

• The creative industries in Dundee are growing exponentially
• Public Art Spaces are prominent, with the McManus Museum of Art and V&A, but lack character in and around their respective spaces
• Chance encounters are few and far between
• Empty, neglected, uncharacterised space is also rather prominent throughout the city
• Larger commercialised spots (spaces such as McDonald’s or Starbucks, where the public can relax and have little responsibility) allow for a greater array of interactions

Ideology

In order to maximise the utilisation of the design based on the research, a focus was placed on using the city’s new found artistic flare to build upon the neglected areas of the city in a calming environment to promote interaction.

Following this train of thought, a communal public art space/gallery was decided as a concept, utilising the curiosity of the willing participants to share images and music from their smart phones  (often blamed for the death of conversation) to strike up spontaneous reaction and interaction between strangers in an environment of which they design.

Sketches

Influenced with the initial hut public art space idea, a bus shelter form was created (due to the the need for shelter within the design and the requested nature of the space) utilising an amalgamation of child-like elements in the merry-go-round entrance (implementing the influence of the city’s ownV&A architect Kengo Kuma’s Canal museum with the inside/outside seating arrangement) with modern technology in the gallery and speaker aspects.

The design itself is prominent in its interpretation of my ideology and suits the task at hand yet the box-like design and clean nature of the structure detract from the need for adventure to investigate the concept, detracting from the ideology and utilisation.

From that point forward I began to reference for a location to provide a more unique and intriguing experience. Due to the artistic nature of the project, I worked on using the backdrop of the McManus Art gallery and V&A museum. Which inspired the exploration of unusual shapes to spark curiosity within the project and lead to the finalised curved design. When the V&A location was finalised, an abstract fish design was then established to fit in with the cave/cliff inspiration of its surroundings.

Despite the extensive time spent on sketching and designing throughout, I was appreciative of the process that lead me to not one but two final designs and helped further the application of the design into a network employed across the city.

Prototyping

Learning for past experience I spent minimum time on prototyping and testing designs in order to conserve time. Two prototypes were created:

• A test skeletal structure for the curved final outcome to ensure stability and approach to building the final outcome.

• A scaled replica of the initial bus shelter before the secondary construction (to realise the design).

  

  Post-It Note Model

  

  Post-It Note Model

  
  
• A test of the bus shelter’s cladding effect (which had to be drawn on later in development due to the opening mechanism on the final outcomes).

 

Final Outcome

Constructing the final building was a relatively simplistic task, working at a scale of 1:50 on a 150mmx150mm base; this was to allow for the decoration of the interior area and for clarity. Aspects of the design include:

• Slated design to imitate the V&A and provide natural lighting and ventilation. Also imitates the ‘living room of the city’ goal.
• Unique style provides interest and child-like wonder.
• Allows for the public’s own exhibit in a gallery space.
• Sea-swings; influenced by the swing of faith two swings overhang the firth of tay, providing an exhilarating character to the concept, a uniqueness no other space has, attracting participants.
• The ability for exterior decoration (noted by the red markings): allowing the public to draw and write on the slates of the building which provides a greater want for interaction and a prop for communication.

*The built model also contains speakers to imitate the choice of music aspect, explaining the wire found in most images. Sadly, screens that small and clear are unavailable right now.

 

 

 

 

Upon completing the concept, I began to experiment with the idea of a network, the V&A acting as the hub with smaller, connected complexes across the city in the place of landmarks or points of interest/use, to assist in tourism (providing images and directions of other locations) as the V&A is one of the first landmarks of the city.

 

*The addition of the blue poles are indicators of routers/transmitters.

Reflection

Building on last week, I have learned how to further my design processes:

• Work on the scale of the model including height in the sketching process.
• Continue building on initial reflection of sketching/developing for an extensive amount of time.
• Incorporating mistakes into a design is useful and could provide greater interest into a project; the red marks for graffiti work developed for the marking of cuts using a red sharpie out of time constraints, not that its obvious.