DESA1002 'Nine Quarter City' - <Michelle Foo>

Abstract

This second semester our project was to transform a ‘generic city’ into its urban context among 15 other blocks. My Group is responsible for the city, Dubrovnik, Croatia. My block among the quarter city is number A2. We were to research and understand the Dubrovnik culture, lifestyle, and architecture styles and were to transform one part of our individual site into a functional building, co-existing with the rest of the site. Within my site I have transformed one building into a homey local hotel, which the entire group has agreed upon. This hotel comprises of residential suites, with a whole set, kitchen, living room, dining room, bedroom and a bathroom. Among all that, double bedrooms, single bedrooms, we also have several facilities such as; pool, café, restaurant, gym, and a sauna. Due to the compact rows of buildings, next to one another, privacy is the primary issue of the hotel. This hotel is designed in way to ensure the privacy of the customers is executed. The building is covered in a one-way reflective glass, allowing only the customers to view outside and there are only reflective views of the neighbouring buildings when viewed from outside. Due to the reflective glass it allows the hotel building to fuse with its surrounding buildings, and receive its total mirrored reflection blending the rows of buildings together. In addition, the hotel includes a courtyard. It merges the building to the outside environment as one. The courtyard is located in the middle of the hotel building; it separates the public and levels of private spaces within the hotel and provides an obvious circulation path. Furthermore, it eliminates the sense of compression within the hotel. The hotel has also incorporated the Dubrovnik lifestyle and culture, by situating the pool on the roof of the hotel. This also provides open space environment and allows maximum sun exposure.