DESA1002 'Nine Quarter City' - <Alice Middleton>

Abstract

This semester in Design 1B our project outline required us to develop a single architectural design in a complex urban context. We underwent a series of conceptual exercises, which required us to transform and assemble our thoughts and design ideas. From these weekly exercises our architectural proposal developed into a refined, detailed single building, which was placed in its given context. Each tutorial group was allocated one major city, out of nine, to base their architectural structures in. My tutorial group had the eighth quarter, which was home to Bern, the capital city of Switzerland. In order to commence the design process, we required background information on the context of Bern and the architectural traits of the city. From the visual information collated, we could then proceed in developing our architectural ideas for building designs. This semester saw us carrying our similar exercises to semester one, however they were more specific in the design requirements and a greater degree of skill and development, for each individual exercise, was essential. My single design proposal explored the function of a Swiss Post Office. Before sketching ideas for my design, I researched information on the services within a post office and I looked at pre-existing Post offices. From this research I was aiming to gather design ideas and I was also influenced by the site I had chosen from my allocated site plan. Once establishing the design shape, my design stemmed from there. Weekly input and feedback from both my tutor and fellow peers enabled my proposal to become refined to the point of design completion. My Post Office reflects the traditional architectural features of buildings in Bern, with the colonnades, however it is also quite modern and contemporary is design style. I have created a design which has a juxtaposition of shapes, using my original quadrilateral site as well as a semi-circular theme. I found this semester to be highly beneficial in extending my skills in model making, and draftsmanship as well as broadening my thoughts and ideas for designing architecturally.