BDES1020 'Continuous City' <Georgina Dew>

Abstract

My building is a play school, aimed at ages between one and five. The fundamental principle of my design was to encapsulate both the traditional architecture of Isfahan yet also a modern and ‘playful’ building for children to feel excited and joyful whilst in the building. My building is based on basic geometry, such as squares and rectangles, put together in differing ways to create excitement and intrigue. The reason for the demand for an early childhood centre in the area is twofold. Firstly this liberates women to enter the workforce. Women in Isfahan are highly educated, yet are often unable to attain jobs due to family responsibilities and cultural attitudes. Secondly, evidence suggests that children who attend preschool are better adjusted when they begin school. Thus, it is beneficial for children going to preschool for their personal development. My concept of having a playful building, whilst keeping with the current architecture drove the ideas of my design. The pods which extend over the street give the idea of ‘cubby houses’ inside the building. However in maintaining continuity with the surrounding architecture, I incorporated inspiration from the bright colours and geometrical shapes, seen in the roofs in the mosque’s and the designs of the textiles in the area. This is illustrated on the exterior frame of the building, with the triangle pattern reflecting similar geometric patterns in traditional architecture. The colours are also similar to the ones utilised in the mosques. This concept also guided the way in which my floor plan was developed. I desired for the majority of the circulation to be focused around the courtyard, to bring in light and to focus on the garden. Furthermore, I used a large ramp, near the entrance in the building for easy access between levels. Thus my building is a combination of practicality and aesthetics, which combine together to create and exciting experience for all visitors.