DESA1002 'Continuous City' Sargiz Morad Pajoohi

Abstract

My building is a high end hotel situated within Rockefeller Center, in New York. As floor space was a problem with the preferred location on the site, my design had to look at going up, just like any other typical New York building. However, I wanted this one to be unique and special, standing out from the typical mainstream New York skyscrapers. The building form introduced the concept of each floor extruding outwards on three sides continuously, giving the facade an outward angled tilt finish, the form of a prismatic crystal. This concept effectively allows for more floor space on the higher levels, allowing for bigger and more rooms per floor. Each floor varies between itself, where not one is the same as adjustments are made to make maximum use of the space. Between the levels, there is a light well that goes through the middle of the building and gets smaller towards the top. I introduced this into the design to give the visitor a sensational experience when at the lobby and also the void creates a sense of connection between the floors and makes the building a whole. The building primarily takes advantage of its views, with its orientation and facade treatment. The facade is composed of light tinted glass but has fragmented shapes of a translucent glass, zig-zagged upwards to cover the private secondary spaces. These also represent the complexity of New York, through the rough jagged shapes that act as scars, within which it is situated and its attempt to convey the message that it is not a traditional building, it is unique in form and shape, where it is a glass prism standing out of its typical American construction system surrounding environment. They emphasise the connection between the public and private spaces and then juxtaposes them. The crystal shape is an interlocking form which turns this corner of the site into a luminous beacon, being programmatic and representing the singularity of the site, the crystal transforms the character of the high end hotel into a inspired atmosphere dedicated to comfortability, service and a temporary safe haven to call home.