Initial Sketches
Here I am going to document my sketch work, sketch models and CAD drawn models and sketches to show the development of the project and the concept. I want to split the work into the development stages so that the progress between each stage can be seen and how the changes and improvements have been made and why they have. Each space will be individually developed within the plan to fully describe what is wanted from the space and how it will be laid out.
Development One
After selecting the Short Hill site the first stage was to plan the spaces. The Short Hill building is a 4 storey long space. The first step I took within the design process was to begin developing where each space would be within the building. After doing this I moved to sketching and working mainly in section before plan as this i felt was the strongest visual and method which would convey my ideas and concepts in the most suitable way. This work was the looked at with tutors and feedback was noted and explained with the image.
Sketchbook Work
Taking on feedback from the initial research presentation the first stage was to begin planning where all the spaces that I wanted to include with the building and what kind of space that these space would be allocated. The image above shows how I began planning. Creating a diagram in this way allowed me to quickly think and illustrate how the space would be used.
The spaces within the building all need to work together to create the building. This sketches shows where all the spaces are currently found at this point in the development stages. After speaking to a tutor about this concept in a pin up it was felt that if I carried on developing a space in this way I would just end up creating a nice building but if I considered a further aspect to the concept this would allow the scheme to develop further.
I moved into working in section and used the layout I created to give the concept spaces. Using the length of the building the scheme began to develop. The use of colour within my sketch work is to define the different functions of the space. This initial work shows how the basement space has been kept to the small spaces illustrated on the existing plans. To create an interesting entrance this began to use a double height space using a statement space as the first aspect of the building that the customer would see. This takes on the thought and further research that was decided when the image above this was spoken about with a tutor. I feel that developing this concept of moving away from the expected and creating something that dinner would not have experienced before is the direction in which the project will be directed next.
This sketch shows how the staircase began to develop and how the customer would move around the spaces within the building. This sketch shows how the deli shop space on the basement level was extended with the space being excavated to give a more open space due to the height of the ceiling on the basement level. The image shows also how I wanted to play with the space and how the staircase travels through spaces. Creating this idea of mystery and playing with scenes is why I wanted to create spaces that the staircase goes through. For example the stairs would go through the cooking school space allowing the guests entering to look through this space even though they would not be able to access this aspect of the building.
With the consideration of taking the staircase through a space to create a mysterious aspect of the building. This lead to the cooking school be a "space within a space". This would be a separate aspect of the building. Using the expected entrance to the building - the front door off of Short Hill and this would be the only way in which you could enter this space.
Moving on from creating this separate cooking school space the next step was how to show this space to its full potential. At this point I wanted to create a space within the entrance that would enhance the views into the cooking school space. To do this I wanted to use the staircase to allow the movement around the building to allow the customer to gain glances into the cooking school as they move around. Using a combination of frosted and clear glass to create the cooking school wall would allow customer to gain views and question what the space was and how they might enter this space.
This section drawing was created to show the function of each space. I wanted to show how the space would be used and how the development had occurred at this stage. Using the style of sketching worked well at this stage. Taking the work from the development stage one to a tutorial I was able to talk through my ideas and explain what I wanted to achieve. From this tutorial I took away positive feedback about the initial sketching and that now the next stage was to begin working in plan to make the spaces fit together and how the entrance and the staircase element would work within the spaces i had created. Speaking to tutors I also was given the idea of looking at a couple of design example that use aspect of mystery and this idea of wonderland to create space and also use the idea of social eating and interaction to create a space.
At this development stage I was happy with the initial concept and how the spaces would fit together working forward into plans and then developing each space from a basic cube to more interesting spaces which use light and level to create an interesting experience.
At this development stage I was happy with the initial concept and how the spaces would fit together working forward into plans and then developing each space from a basic cube to more interesting spaces which use light and level to create an interesting experience.
For more sketches please see my sketchbook for further sketch development that occurred at this stage.
Concept Section Visual
For the Degree Show Expo Book we had to submit images from our project. I decided that I would submit conceptual style images using sketchy lines as i felt this best described the project at this stage. As these were only conceptual sketches I felt that the design came across as I wanted it to and allowed the space to be described. To create this images I used the combination of a hand sketch, SketchUp and Photoshop.
The image above shows a sketch that has been traced in SketchUp and then rendered in Photoshop and Illustrator. It is felt that the best way to convey the different levels and spaces within the building could be shown is through a section that shows how the building has been divided.
Concept Visuals
Development Two
From development one the concept moved on to develop the spaces individually and making changes from feedback during tutorials. Using the layout of the spaces within development one the spaces began to take on wall thickness and define the spaces within the building. The consideration of how people would move through out the space was also developed further at this stage looking at how all the spaces can accessed.
Sketchbook Work
The images shows the point where the first development stage ended and how the space was beginning to develop into the layout determined at this point. At this stage in the project development the space had begun to take on function with the consideration of levels on the site.
From the section the development of the design began to look at how people many enter the building and move through the space. Using the existing structures on the site - such as the tunnel used to enter the lower ground level on the site and defining this as an entrance and central point within the building.
Using the existing structure the space began to work around the walls within the building and using these to create each space. The image shows the beginning of the space development in the lower entrance level of the four-storey building.
At this point it was decided to look at how the basement level could be excavated to maximise the space on the lower floor to create large and open spaces that would create the entrance and circulation space within the building. the two spaces on the lower level would create the deli shop along with the cafe which will allow for this space to be opened out and to explore the idea of outdoor dining.
The sketch shows the layout of the first floor space which will create the kitchen space and the toilet block. The kitchen will take over the majority of the floor to allow it to contain the necessary requirements that were identified during the research stages into the regulations of the spaces.
Looking at how the customers would move around the space and how this would maximise the impact of the space was key through out the development of the building. Using a staircase concept that moves around the space as a whole giving views around and into each space. The development of the staircase came from looking a varying examples of staircases and how they use the space.
The image illustrates the movement through the building and how this will allow for the movement around the space to occur and how at different angles within the space will create at different atmosphere.
The sketch shows how staircase will be used to create views around the spaces and how the movement through each space will connect them together.
Sketch of the development of the spaces illustrating how people can move around these spaces and the function of them. The way in which customers move through out the space is key with the development of the space to ensure that they building flows and the customer is able to access the necessary areas of the building.
The above sketch shows the entrance tunnel section and how that space will be used to create the entrance. This will be a light space which uses the sense of smell. Creating an unexpected scent when the customer enters the space - removing the idea of what they would expect when entering a restaurant.
The sketch shows the plan for the lower ground floor at the end of the development two stage.
The sketch shows the plan for the ground floor at the end of the development two stage.
The sketch shows the plan for the first floor at the end of the development two stage.
The sketch shows the plan for the second floor at the end of the development two stage.
At the end of this stage I decided to take a step back from the design process and look at more research relating the regulation surrounding restaurant design and also the DDA requirements within a public building. I feel at this stage I am happy with the space but have been very focused on creating "nice" spaces that with out the regulations and the required aspects could not work if these aspects are not addressed now and are left until further into the design stages where it would be come harder to change aspects. From this stage this would allow me to move on and design into spaces more to further develop the concept.