DESA1002 'Nine Quarter City' - <Mikaela Palmer>

Abstract

åMy portfolio shows the progressive design choices I made for my hire shop in Bern. Each week’s task helped build on my understanding of what was required and helped develop my design choices responding to Bern’s climate and lifestyle. When designing a shop in which to hire outdoor equipment I had to consider the size of the floor space needed to test the equipment as well as quite a large storage space. I decided upon bikes, kayaks, tubes and climbing gear as these suit Bern, surrounded by the river Aare and many mountains. With the biggest kayaks measuring 4m long and 1m wide, I had to make sure that all openings are big enough and there is enough room to move around the shop. Considering the large size of the equipment, it made sense to make a different point for customer entry and equipment return. I have used an amethyst stone as inspiration for my design as it is a natural form and this shop sells products to be used in nature. This inspiration can be seen in the external cladding of the building. Clad in a dark, rough material, on all the externally visible parts of the structure whilst revealing the unusual textured, reflective shapes on all walls that cut back into the building. I wanted to replicate the way that light reflects off the different shapes inside the amethyst on these walls so I have made them differ in angle, colour and transparency. My design differs from the masonry style building common to Bern; however, I think it addresses the lifestyle, climate and needs of Switzerland.