Thursday, March 17, 2011

Hi Guys,

It looks like things are really progressing. The structural bands sketch by Jhyling is very interesting. Perhaps we translate that 2 dimensional facade and make a 3 dimensional canopy of climbing/hanging/shading grid of intermingling steel monkey bar/nest. I'll try to send an image, but the recent installation made to look like an outline of a sign in Washington right at the border comes to mind... I think it was in Azure in the last few months....

Wednesday, March 16, 2011


great example of pivoting elements for south / canteen wall.

Discussion - written report topics




Digital Massing Studies Two





Site & Roof plan/sketches

The sketch got a little rough, but it's the floor plan on the site.  We've shown some ideas for pathways, soft and hard landscaping, and an idea to divide the roof into a designated sliding/play area and an area outside public access with different (less maintenance heavy) planting.  Then we started working out how the heavy wall could function as a parapet barrier, and the handrail/divider could appear as these crazy lit grasses growing out of the roof.

Interesting Light/Handrails

We've been thinking about handrails a little more, and ways to light the pavilion, especially the rooftop.  If we look at the handrail Jyhling posted earlier, the Pawson Kew one, what about if we ran something like that around the top of the heavy wall, and there could be a steady light effect then another that is activated by people going by them, with motion sensors.  That way, you would "see" a kid sliding down the slide in how the lights would ping brighter or different colours, or maybe sounds, all the way down.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Mechanical Comments

I was thinking about the California Sciences building and the use of the different bumps and humps on their roof.  While not perhaps with the glazing, some profile on the roof might add to the ability for hiding, running and playing around something.


A few openings could provided over the mechanical space to be light shafts or portholes to allow people see the equipment in the building.  Clear openings may also be able to incorporate small solar electric collectors to run some sort of integrated exhaust fans.

Here are some pictures of the thermal solar collectors and vertical axis wind turbines


                                                          a slightly more appealing installation

http://www.globalwindgroup.com/products/nano-zus (Winnipeg Based Company)

Monday, March 14, 2011

Digital Massing Study (Slide Play)



exhibition theme: photos




exhibition, playground, structural bands




Your skype account wasn't online so I'll try to run through these sketches of three concept explorations from our last meeting.

Exhibition (click on the sketch images to see more detail)
-concrete rail edge profile formed and embossed to recall a ornamental paneling of amusement rides/facades in a distilled/simplified manner
-ceiling scape and forest of hanging rope suspending tables, chairs, benches (recalling swing carousel rides)
-faceted (metallic?) paneling along solid cores beneath concrete roofscape
-grid field of led bulbs line underside of ceiling, possibly mirrored

Playground
-flaring continuous metal side rail/fin similar to the one at diagonal mar park but angled outward. inner rail security rail also present. this two planed rail component is anchored to the concrete roof structure. see section.
-playground metal tubing rails line the exterior surface of building, patterned to create a climbing wall. some may extend further outward to become benches, tables, or extended play structure.
-same metal tubing/patterning is underside mounted from the ceiling and double as lighting fixtures. see section.
-same metal tubing becomes a tangled play sculpture in the outdoor forecourt also sketched are disc bowls that spin (children's seating) like the ones at diagonal park

Structural Bands
-playing off of jon's hairy mesh model, these structural ribbons support the concrete roof plane. they could potentially have varying depths to accommodate functional uses such as seating/reading/tanning/upper roof rail.
-between the structural bands that become the upper roof rail, a finer filament of metal rods/wires, patterned to fill these gaps.
-another row(s) of ribbon could appear within the interior with again a partial functional/space defining role. see section.
-canteen and and washroom cores appear as independent elements beneath the roof.

I'll post some images related to the exhibition concept in the next post.

I am away Tuesday, but let me know when you plan to meet again.
Sorry Guys, I can't make it this morning. I'll catch up with Alicia this afternoon and get my work outline.