DESA1002 'Nine Quarter City' - <Phoebe Chapman>

Abstract

My project has always been to design an information centre for the city of Bern, the capital of Switzerland, although the design has adapted and been modified throughout the semester to accommodate the function with more finesse. I took inspiration from the pitched peaks of the mountain which are appropriately mimicked in the traditional architecture of the medieval city. I mused over the idea of a folding map with concertinas physically representing this idea somehow on the design. From this idea, I contemplated removing the physicality of the idea, and devised something a little more metaphoric. The result was to form a building that appeared to have been folded out of the ground on which it sat. I achieved this by slanting some of the walls outwards, giving the building a slightly perched, crystalline shape, emphasising the irregularity of the design. I further highlighted the folding building concept by creating a site for the model to inhabit. I used textured paper with a silvery-grey finish and formed a geometric tunnel which served as a path towards the main entrance of my building, and also appeared to have been folded out of the ground. Internally, I required open spaces with high ceilings as I felt a majestic and spacious ambiance was appropriate for a service centre for people visiting the capital of Switzerland. I emphasised circulation in the building, suggesting the notion of travelling as a major aspect of the function of the Bern Information Centre. This was accomplished by cladding the external elevator and stairs in the same textured material I used to form the site. This also created uniformity and enhanced the design aesthetically. This semester has seen much development and progression in drafting, model making, personal evaluation and critique. Students have conceptualised design ideas and physically formed them, as new angles were attempted and new aspects of design were explored.