ldw portfolio
DESCRIPTION
B.A. Architecture portfoliioTRANSCRIPT
The task was to design new premises for the Finnish Institute
[The] mission [of the Finnish Institute of London] is to identify emerging issues relevant to contemporary society and to act as catalyst for positive social change through partnerships.”
The Finnish Institute, encourages new and un-expected collaborations
and supports artistic interventions, research, the creative industries, foresight and social in-novations.
Part of the space re-quirements included an exhibition space, function room, auditorium, lecture theatre and staff of-fices.
This project is based around the hypothetical moving of The Finnish Institute London to Newcastle Upon Tyne.
The Finnish Institute is a London-based private trust whose mission is to identify emerging issues relevant to contemporary society and to act as catalyst for positive social change through part-nerships .
Located on the banks of the river Tyne, the design for the institute drew inspira-tion from the clients focus on interactions. The concept of games and their powers as social activators were used to drive the design process to form an exciting, creative environment infus-ing work and play and en-couraging social interactions.
An integral part of the de-sign process, models were used to experiment and inspire a unique form and structure.
By creating an effective kit - of parts from the brief, I was able to minipulate the design in real time giving me the ability to fit space to function and site con-straints whilst maintaining the designs form and over-all composition too.
Experimental model:
Skeletal frame structure to fit clients various needs
Concept - To expand beyond the building and engage the wider site
Prioritised circulation to encourage interactions A range of flexible multi-purpose spaces
The design reaches be-yond the site with the help of a new green and friendly pedestrian bridge.
Enabling more users to access the site its jusi-tification came from not just the Finnish institute but also the development of the rest of the site.
With part of the brief being open to interprita-tion and an area of the building given for our
own ideas it was my de-cision to create offices for start-up sustainable businesses. The idea behind it being that they would benefit from the exposure cre-ated by the institute and in turn they would grow, move out of the building and populate the rest of the site completing a new green sustainable strip along the Tyne in line the regions aspirations of becomming the UK's new green capital.
Open plan offices
Function Room
Section East - West
Sustainable business offices and meeting spaces connected to cafe
The design draws from a strong site response including the creation of a new route linking the local college campus to the city centre replac-ing the old congested one with a more pedes-trian friendly route. Using the route the Film Archive would benefit
from its prime place-ment to engage with passing students to inspire them to get involved and young visionary filmakers to follow in the footsteps of many of the areas great directors.
The concept diving the design came from looking into the history of the area and the change it has undergone in recent years from relying on old industry to technology and digital media.
The archive attempts to merge both together with its copper clad industrial aesthetic and digitised form wrapping around the site creating an intriguing environment attracting students.
The structure complements the form and environmental deisgn techniques using un-used shipping containers stacked to achieve the otherwise complex form.
This project called for the design of a new vistor centre for Jesmond Dene.
Located on a challenging site and dealing with the issues of listed buildings and inclu-sive design this project re-quired a sensitive approach.
The design merges building with landscape creating a dynamic approach and route through the building that provides both an engaging experience whilst solving the briefs inclusive desires.
The building form is modern whilst respecting the aes-thestics of the older build-ings on the site and includes an origional and attractive glass facade for the cafe.
This project was to design a new welcome house for Newcastle University. It in-cluded facilities such as a cafe and library as well as rooms for accommodation.
The main focus of the design became thresholds and looked at how ele-ments such as light and structure can be used to create different effects.
An installation that dismembers the human form to show the bodys interaction with architecture and the experience of an individual moving through space.
