[DAB510-Design] Process

My design process reflects the activity of the node in the sense that I work directly on a roll of trace and in doing that, it's a very iterative process where I can see the progression of my ideas. That said, I'm a very messy worker and my sketches are oftentimes small, rough, on top of each other, and all over the place. Below are snippets of process that aren't totally unreadable. I flip between plan, section and elevation as I draw, but for the purposes of coherency, I've grouped the images by type.

(I also toyed around with other elements for the design, such as foldable covers and structure but won't include them on here as they were done before I found the concept images as detailed in the post previous, and thus scrapped those ideas and went down a different path).

Sketch design in plan

1 and 2: Simple curved working surface with canvas (indicated by heavier line) in front with walking space between. Angled canvas protrusions in 2. Although I like the idea of people being able to walk through the space whilst users are drawing, I recanted after realising it would be very distracting. Also having one work space was something I wanted to avoid.

3: Here the individual work spaces alternated in the direction they faced. This allows for easy communication and ability to see each other's work. However, for the purpose of teaching, it'd be very annoying for the teacher to navigate around these desks.

4: The work surfaces were turned in to trapezoids and the canvasses protruded from the shorter ends. This meant two students to one desk, but they would have their backs to the other desk. Did not like.

5 and 6: Circular desks arranged around a central point with a canvas that could pivot. The formation meant that it would be easy for the teacher to get to everyone, but once again, students didn't really maximise their communication.

7: 6 desks facing each other in a somewhat rectangular pattern (with the two dots on each corner). I wanted to be able to have a flow through the middle for passage but given size restrictions this couldn't happen. My final design ended up utilising this idea of desk clumps facing each other but also next to each other.

8 and 9: This is the final plan I decided to go with. With the prefabicated desk units being able to join up, this allows for face-to-face communication and easy view of everyone else's work. I originally had them in a rectangular formation as in 7, but with site considerations, I fanned them out to act as a wind block along the river elevation and opening up to the parkland on the other side. The sails can be loosened to move in the wind and thus still provide views out to the east and south-east whilst still remaining as a wind break. The plan opening up to the parkland means that passersby can still see in to the node and marks the structure as a public space rather than a closed up semi-private one. In a previous photo of the site in Week 1's visit, the setting sun significantly impacted the site's natural lighting. Where I placed the node on site was still in a prominent area of direct light and thus allows for natural lighting to penetrate the canvas to create a warm glow within. I also consulted the Equal Access poster to determine my desk heights and thoroughfare widths to allow for disabled access to the node:

The process of drawing for me is best done in a space that clearly has a defined line of privacy (as simple as a work surface with edges) in which I can work freely whilst also being able to see and communicate with others. Having a shared work surface tends to be very distracting and cluttered. For this reason, having singular work spaces planned to face each other feels like the best option, rather than just one large workspace.

Taking in to account Cedric Price's reading about the need for customisation in prefab, and after consultation with Zuzana, I've decided to create a prefab component that is highly customised or detailed in its parts, but will be used repeatedly throughout my design, as opposed to many different shaped pre-cut parts. Zuzana stated that the majority of parts must be made off-site, but that they can be as intricate or time-consuming to construct as required, as long as minimal construction is done in-situ.

As a result of this, I've decided to play around with the drawing surface as this is one of the key spatial considerations for my users. I initially had a flat work space for the substrate to be placed on, but wanted to see how far I could push it. The concept that I want to run with is the idea of drawing as an iterative process of experimentation, and in the context of the revitalised parkland that is HSW, to really create a deep experience for users by encouraging them to return, but also as a (wider) community experience, to connect with others using the space. I've decided to change the drawing surface to a roll of canvas which not only becomes part of the structure's skin, but allows users to see not only what they have contributed, but also other users through a scrolling system that allows for the users to choose where they want to work on the substrate. They can wind the canvas to find their last lesson and continue from there, or (in most cases) add on to someone else's. This way, it becomes similar to the 'Exquisite Corpse' game of the Surrealists, allowing for accidental or deliberate mark-making that creates new ways to look at lines, connections, positive and negative space, etc - something that cannot be quickly realised or deeply explored in typical life-drawing classes.

Workspace design

1: A shared canvas and workspace with foldable benchtop. Did not work.

2: Canvas looping back into the workspace and under. This process was developed after ruling out the canvas being in front of the user.

3: Addition of sliding seat on a track to allow the space to double as a gallery when not in use.

4 and 5: The internal route of the canvas in the workspace was explored and different shapes were played with in order to minimise bends as it would become trickier to wind the canvas with more corners inside. Tiny rollers would be installed on the bends to aid smooth motion but I decided that the less the better. The Z formation was used because the 45 degree angles would mean less force would be needed to wind the canvas. Different seat shapes were also considered in regards to ergonomics and smooth assimilation with the underside of the workspace. I liked the trapezoidal form as it followed the Z of the canvas, but would have been very uncomfortable for users, thus the rectangular prism was used and this allowed for it to double as a storage space for materials.

5 and 6: The connection to the structural cardboard tubing was also considered. I initially wanted them to be embedded in the workspace, but because I changed the shape to jut outwards, creating a bent roll wouldn't have worked. For that reason, I returned to Shigeru Ban and studied how he made his angled joints in Paper Dome:

Image source: http://clarewashington.co.uk/2012/12/10/shigeru-ban-building-with-paper-paper-dome/#

Sketch design in section

1: I initially wanted to use the sails to enhance the verticality of the site, and thus have my node placed on the cliff face with the sails dropping down to ground level. The plan of the desks would have been in a semi-circular formation, but attaching them to the cliff would have eaten up a lot of floor space.

2: I then turned to triangulation for easy structural stability and as a reference to the Story Bridge. However, this section would have meant the workspaces wouldn't have faced each other due to the shelter aspect.

3: Two rows of workspaces each facing opposite directions. Again, the lack of communication negated this design as well as the sails being in front of the user blocking the views.

4: I liked the formation of this section in plan as the users could face each other, and by moving the structural support to the centre and the sails to the back, it opened up the space for communication and movement within. However, weatherproofing became an issue as there was minimal roofing.

5, 6, 7, 8 and 9: I then went on to invert the cardboard tubing to bend outwards to open up the interior a bit. Roofing structure was then experimented with and I finally decided on a triangular roof in 9. This was mainly to evenly distribute the water runoff and also as a visual connection to the shed behind. A small decline for drainage was then put in at the base of the wall section where the canvas protrudes.