Group Design Project module @ NTU

The 'Group Design Project' was a live project carried out once again in term two of my MSc at Nottingham Trent University. Although it was called a 'group' project only really the initial site surveys and feasibility studies were carried out as a group the rest was individual. The module was also a continuation of last terms 'Design Communication' module so along with using Autocad, Sketchup, Artlantis and photoshop (software we were already familiar with) we began tutorials in Vectorworks and Cinema 4D.

The project involved interviewing the manager of a council owned leisure centre that is adjoined to a school. Currently the two share an entrance and changing rooms raising all sorts of issues ... The gym was also very small and had high-end equipment squeezed in to what was a storage room wrapping around the front of the building. The proposal therefore was to include an extension to the current leisure centre offering a new private entrance and reception area, an increase of 300% to the gym and new private changing rooms.

Below are the 2 boards that i used to communicate my idea to the council, for these visuals i used a Sketchup model, rendered in Kerkythea and post-processed in Photoshop...

In addition to these and as mentioned above we also began using Vectorworks and eventually Cinema 4D. Vectorworks was used to create a BIM model, this model as well as containing enough detail for the thing to be built was also then exported in to Cinema 4D to be rendered up, more visuals to be created and a fly-through animation shot. Exciting stuff!! I cant say that i got on with Vectorworks too well and certainly wouldnt be my software of choice in the future, i believe that Autodesks Revit is a better programme and BIM ready. However Cinema 4D was awesome and i am considering using this for the production of my 3D visuals during my final major study project... anyway here are some renders i have produced...

Technology Futures module @ NTU

The module 'Techonlogy Futures' was designed to let our imaginations run wild! First we dreamt up a scenario set 100 years in to the future, this could be based on projected figures or purely fictional. Personally it was my most testing module so far on the MSc, I really struggled to think on such a wide level and then to bring it really narrow and specific in terms of technology and detailing....

Below are my final presentation boards, my project was based in Canary Wharf, London and was set in the year 2075.

The project design is based on a permanent Graphene exoskeleton structure that progressively makes its way around, over and in between the existing urban fabric. Deconditioned buildings provide basic infastructure as well as recreational areas for inhabitants. The spatial organisation of the design promotes social interaction between the residents and reinforces their feeling of safety and security.

Parasite container modules will provide compact dwelling units that can be installed on site according to changing demand, creating an evolving space that is adaptable to meet the ever changing needs of the city. The modules themselves are configurable in many different ways offereing a unique opportunity to balance your own internal and external space to meet your needs.

That was one busy term!

Sooo... Apologies for not updating this in such a long time! I think it is safe to say i have been very well occupied with the second term of my MSc in Architectural Technology and design.

Thats said... I now have a whole bunch of work to post. I think it is safe to say that the standard has increased ten-fold since term one and is only continuing to improve as the course goes on, I am really enjoying it especially the visualisation side of things.

I shall start posting up some of my work starting with the subject 'applied research and design for the built environment'. This required us to identify an issue that the built environment is currently suffering from and to propose a solution. Below are the boards i produced for final review...

Global population is projected to grow by 46% by 2050. 70% of these people will be living in our worlds cities. An increasing population and lack of adequate infrastructure, affordable housing, and urban planning will require a new, innovative system that is dynamic, flexible and adapting to change. Since society is dynamic, the way in which we inhabit our cities needs to be dynamic too.

Buildings and transportation today create two-thirds of the carbon in our atmosphere. Where we place our buildings , the way we build them and the way in which we move between them is vital in making a difference for future generations.

Creating cities that are compact and highly liveable is the goal. Creating adaptability among the existing was mine.

Page one shows the design of a 'pod' like structure that offers an extension of space for existing buildings, page two and three then show two extremes of how the structure might be used.

Another part of the 'Applied research and design for the built environment' subject required us to join forces with M.Arch students to form small practices where we would explore two case studies, one historic and one contemporary. The case studies had be linked to and support the topic/issue explored in the first part (shown above).

As a historic case study i looked at the Eames Case Study House for its raw frame structure that was adaptable to suit the needs of the ocuppier. My contemporary case study was the CUB house which uses a stackable method of construction to add flexibility to the dwelling. My boards for final presentation looked like this...

In short... what we highlighted really was the smaller the componant the more adaptable, thus the more usable the final outcome can be. This was explored conceptually on the last two boards. The issure with the CUB house was that it has been produced for a commercial market - the more bedrooms, the more they can market the property for. This results in a dwelling that whether there is one bedroom or five, occupants have the same amount of living space. This didnt work and with more time we would have liked to have developed our conceptual ideas further.