DESA1002 'Nine Quarter City' - <Xing Gao>

Abstract

I worked on a boutique street in the city of Bern, capital of Switzerland. The street locates near the main road and that provides sufficient people flow. Street presents shoes, clothes, jewelry shops, florist and cafe normal types of stores. The drinks retail is the interesting part in the design. It leads to a hidden courtyard and operates as a bar at night as an attraction. Researched on similar project of Herzog & de Meuron’s Five Courts, I was inspired by the unique windows and openings designs then I started to focus on the environment contrasts. Materials in used are mainly bricks which respond to the top buildings but painted in bright colors to make highly contrast with the surrounding traditional architecture overlook. Variations in stores levels are the visual interests and change the uniform look of traditional street appearance. An open staircase at the corner to the street provides a good connection of the building and street. One of the edges of the street is in curve while it has a sharp end at the opposite side. That is designed for catching the pedestrian’s attention to the street and walks beside the curve and finally attracted to explorer the boutique. There is also consideration about stores locations. Café is located to the quite street for a better environment and the Jewelry shop is placed just to the main road. In the model presentations, there are different colors ceilings and also small symbols on the interior walls. They both to quickly understand the functions of different stores i.e. foot prints for shoe shops, flower bunch for florist. Basic concept of the design is to create a different style with the ancient city. The street cooperates with the medieval atmosphere also presents the energetic aspect in modern time.