W.U.C.E. - Initial planning

From investigating precedents I have determined there to be 3 key areas within a library.  The mixing room, services and work areas make up the required spaces.  Locating this areas in a sequence becomes challenging and how these areas access the surrounds are also vital.

The mixing room:

- Librarian support

- Cafe

- IT support

- informal student meeting place

Services:

- Toilets

- Lift

- Stairs

- Printing

Work Areas (Flexible Compartments):

- Individual space

- Group space

- Formal space

- Informal Space

Image 1: Spatial planning

Image 2: Entry sequence

Image 3: Spatial planning

Image 4: Site planning



W.U.C.E. - Preliminary Concepts

With a rough masterplan completed each group member has chosen a building and it's location to further investigate.  The building chosen by myself is the University Library, located north-west of Clyde's Pond.

Image 1: Proposed library location

Once a site had been located I was able to undertake some initial investigations.

Image 1: Site planning

Image 2: Key relationships

Image 3: Surrounding buildings

The chosen site provides some great oppurtunities in relation to the surrounding natural environment, as well as a key destination within the university plan and festival.

W.U.C.E - Precedent Analysis

REX - Seattle Library

Library's no longer exclusively dedicated to the book, but as an information store where all potent forms of media - old and new - are presented equally and legibly.  In an age where information can be accessed anywhere, it is the simultaneity of all media and, more importantly, the curatorship of their content that will make the library vital.

Library should cultivate a more refined approach by organising itself into spatial compartments, each dedicated to, and equipped for, specific duties

Spaces between platforms function as trading floors where librarians inform and stimulate, where the interface between the different platforms is organised - spaces for work, interaction and play.



Image 1: Seattle Library (available from: http://www.rex-ny.com/work/seattle-library/)

The traditional library presents the visitor with an infernal matrix of materials, technologies, “specialists.” It is an often demoralizing process: a trail of tears through dead-end sections, ghost departments, and unexplained absences.

B.I.G. Various Projects

A library is essentially a spatial interface between people and information.

A library is where all information is virtually available everywhere, the true potential of the library becomes the interaction of people with collections of all kinds of media under the prefessional guidance of librarians.

An interesting diagram for incorporating multiple functions within a set area.



Image 2: B.I.G. diagramming (available from: http://flash.big.dk/)

W.U.C.E. - Reading Area Requirements

In planning for the future, the requirements of a single reading area has been investigated.  In researching the requirements it has been important to consider both possible technological requirements and also the requirements of the space during festival times. 

Image 1: Possible activities

Image 2: Size requirements

Image 3: Multiple arrangements

Image 4: Current problems

Image 5: Possible solution



Image 6: Possible arrangement



Image 7: When packed up



With investigating possible reading space/desk requirements, a variety of uses have been considered.  Key to this is investigating a use for the building and spaces during the Woodford Folk Festival.  The above concept allows the desks be easily transformed into panels for exhibitions, or can be easily disassembled to pack up without taking up much room.

Week 9 - LECTURE

The week 9 lecture investigated the concept of architecture as an assistive device.  Firstly, it was mentioned how architecture is traditionally used to protect.  However the remainder of the lecture focused on the opportunities architecture can provide.  Architecture in my mind is becoming much more experiential than purely aethetical and this incorporates the opportunities the architecture provides.  Looking forward, this lecture has introduced the idea of investigating how people use space and how people undertake activities.  This will be an interesting method of designing with the change in library design rapidly changing, forecasting its future requirements will be tough.

Key to this thought is how technology will impact the way we use objects, experience space, interact and such.  The current divide between physical and virtual creates two seperate environments.  Currently places are built to suit the technology most likely being used.  For instance computer rooms are darkened to prevent glare and create the best environment for viewing the screen. 

However advances in technology could change this.  The following video is an example of a possible technology which will break down the barriers between physical and virtual and allow the 2 realms to coincide. 

The above video outlines the extensive possibilities of future technologies, in particular technologies which would impact heavily on the way we learn and interact, two key elements of a library.

W.U.C.E. - Initial Master Planning

Initial master planning has begun with many options being discussed between members of the group.  A list of facilities determined in the initial project direction has provided a starting point for site planning.  Below are some preliminary sketches and concepts. 



Image 1: Masterplan concept 1

The initial concept for our masterplan was centred around the location of public and private buildings along the existing paths through the site.  This seemed like the logical method of planning the site initialy.  However the question was raised regarding the vitality of the site and whether buildings and spaces where spread too far apart.  It also raised the question of how will festivals remain on the site.

As a group we then researched patterns relating to site planning to see how these generic concepts could be applied to Woodfordia.  The first concept was to intorduce a promenade, a central axis which nodes of activity could be placed along.



Image 2: Pattern 1 - Promenade and activity nodes.

 The second pattern explored the notion of a university as a market place.  This concept relates to a more historical plan of a university where the university blends in to the surrounding city.


Image 3: Pattern 2 - University as a market place

 The third pattern explored provides a basis for zones or subcultures within the community.  By creating a mosaic of sub-cultures the university can attempt to create areas for sub-cultures within the festival as well.

Image 4: Pattern 3 - Mosaic of sub-cultures

Following some investigation into patterns the master plan was altered to incoporate some of the concepts. 



Image 2: Masterplan concept 2

Week 8 - LECTURE

The week 8 lecture explored the concept that ‘Greening isn’t necessarily sustainable’.  This concept has already been bought to attention in an earlier reading regarding the up rise in companies using ‘green’ initiatives in a move to increase business.  Key to all of the arguments is the concept of the triple bottom line.  For a fully sustainable system to be achieved, the environment, economy and society have to be sustainable.  So, while greening may be undertaken to improve the ‘sustainability’ of a building/environment, if it occurs at the expense of the society and/or the economy than the overall sustainability may not be improved.

An example of this is the promotion of pre-fabricated construction and automated construction technologies.  While these systems may be quick and futuristic thought for the builders and industries who will be replaced by such technologies must be taken into account.  Not to mention the societal benefits gained from completing a building.

Image 1: Structural Oscillations (http://dfab.arch.ethz.ch/web/e/forschung/142.html)

Some other issues raised regarding the sustainability of a project are listed below and impact the built environment lifecycle.

• Embodied energy,
• Transportation,
• Construction,
• Maintanance,
• Adaptability,
• Lifespan,
• Disassembly,
• Recyclability.

Materials play a massive role in the success of all the above attributes to a project.  For instance Metal may need to be transported a long distance, has a large amount of embodied energy and is very rigid creating problems with adaptability.  Therefore an integral part of the final proposition will be the materials used within and surrounding the building.