Sunday 28 June 2015

Final Draft


With the basic form of the building done, it was now time to finalise its details, and to produce the completed model:


By retaining a significant amount of the original structure, the building sits comfortably in its' surrounds in a way that a brand new construction would struggle to. Thus, modernisation takes place with a minimum of contextual disruption.




The new bridge is inspired texturally and formally by the original concrete balustrades, whilst the proportions of the glass louvre section is analogous to the pre-existing windows. Thus, the added features are directly inspired by the original design, and constitute a fusion of the old and the new.




The newly added magnetic elevator acts to link the different academic functions that characterise each floor of the building. In short, it combines and unifies academia and education in a rather literal way.




The long, cut through atrium space acts as a kind of empty space bridge, in that it draws people  from outside into and through the main bulk of the building. It is through this flow of human traffic that the building interacts with the surrounding buildings and its context.




The extensive skylights act to provide light into what was once a dark space, but in an unobstructive way that only moderately alters the external appearance of the building. Thus, they provide modern amenity and comfort to a pre-existing space, once again embodying the combination of old and new.



Besides the obvious necessities of finishing the actual fabric of the building, it was also necessary to include a number of custom textures in the final product to help enable visitors to interact with the structure:



Linear is used to indicate the motion of the elevator and to advise visitors of its functionality.






Unstoppable is used to indicate the entries to the workshops, and to remind visitors of the potential hazards therein. 

Rotation is used to highlight the presence of the movable glass louvres.


Rotation is again used to highlight the floor surface made dangerous by the descent of the lift.


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