Architectural Design Proposal of Reading Space

Architectural Design Proposal of Reading Space3.1 Historical intention ContextIf we surmise that unorthodox computer architecture is, essentially, several(prenominal)thing that is non permanent, then in unitary form or another(prenominal) as stated it has existed since antiquity, with examples traced from past wooden huts and shelters, through medieval stage sets, circ characters and world fairs, to the supple mob and post-war pre-fabs, and war term and disaster relief. Interestingly, as early as 58 B.C.E in antique Rome, such architecture functi id as a form of revolution ancient Romans circumventing goernmental opposition to permanent amphitheatres by build temporary versions with the metropolitan Museum of Art noting that despite their impermanent nature, this architecture was a rich festivity and an expression of anti-establishment melodic questionls.To subscribe toher with other classical forms, a revival of temporary architecture was overly differentiateicul arly prevalend during the Renaissance civic groups would take in King Henry II of France to their cities with festivals showcasing the best and most elaborate in temporary use of the time, such as the specifically commissi adeptd commencement de Innocents (1550) a collaboration between architect Pierre Lescot and sculptor jean Goujan. As the University of Torontos Professor of Art History, Christy Anderson, notes for instaurati onenessrs and architects of the Renaissancethe ephemeral nature of the installations lent themselves to physical body innovations believed to be too unconventional or extravagant for dour architecture and afforded the opportunity for experimentation. Such events were used as tantalising opportunities for the realisation of a new-sprung(prenominal) style, made real perhaps for a angiotensin converting enzyme day the transient enjoyably consumed, creating a taste for the permanent.In contemporaneous architecture, we have become to a greater extent familiar with the temporary as explicit at exhibitions and pavilions Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeannerets LEspirit Nouveau Pavilion (1925), Mies van der Rohes Barcelona Pavilion (1929), and Alison and motherfucker Smithsons House of the Future for the Daily Mail Ideal Home narrate in London (1956) severally showcasing their designers stimulate philosophies and ideas on the future of architecture, and advert these compelling forms via memorable, provocative images. Moreover, these challenges to established or conventional climb upes to design were thus far further inflamed by Archigram, with mobile, inflatable or temporary stands albeit resigned to newspaper and roosting unreinforced during the 1960s and 70s.3.2 Academic Discourse Urban ChangeHowever, it was the keep goingwash of the great recession in 2008, which crippled economies with the construction, architecture and engineering sectors arguably hit the hardest and the inevitable temporary suspension of m both an(prenominal) large-scale projects that ensued which idealistic small-scale, bottom-up spatial interventions from niche to mainstream pr biteice, and subsequently exposed them to to a greater extent intensified levels of full of living re spatial relation. though this opened up possibilities to test scenarios and subvert preconceptions of what our cities should be like, giving architects and designers, frequently young, the opportunity to push the boundaries of architecture and take the metropolis back into their own hands, as Cate St. Hill writes in her RIBA published book This is irregular, very(prenominal)(prenominal) soon, and perhaps unavoidably, established companies institute they could take a shit use of these strategies too, evaporating away any freshness, writes Douglas tater in his article for the Architectural Review The Pop-Up Problem.As a consequence, it has straightway become utterly common move into for food drink, fashion or design retailers, for ex ample, to make their inaugural entrance into any given city via a advantageion of trendy pop-ups out front the proper shop opens. Though this could be con steadred fairly commonplace cool-chasing, it stems from the constant procedure of reducing risk a temporary shop doesnt require payment for a full lease, and it in like manner has an aura of edgy cool. These types of social organisation thitherfore offer us a corporal regurgitation of anti-corporate commerce.Importantly, and perhaps more pressingly, in academic and mainstream media discourse, more original spatial intervention projects, which featured smiling topical anesthetics and were so often portrayed as joyous and likeable, have also since been subject to a makeable measure of criticism primarily contemplating if the unfeigned impact of these projects is overestimated. Though proponents of the pop-up refer to the wider impact an intervention go off have galvanising local anaesthetic communities to change the w ay their exoteric spaces and creates atomic number 18 used to the benefit of everyone in practice the actual effect remains limited to the most local scale, involving or reaching away to sightly a handful of locals. This is due, in part, to the perceived lack of scalability, as Ella Harris highlights in her article for The Guardian the orifice of scaling up such projects, beyond their immediate surroundings, is often marginal due to the specific local conditions.Therefore, when addressing if temporary architecture loafer act as a catalyst for urban change in the stage setting of this thesis, a catalyst for urban change relates to the ability of the project or intervention to have an impact on an atomic number 18a wider than its immediate surroundings, stimulating local inhabitants to actively seek to utilise public spaces for betterment of society, or to at least raise the question.4.0Formulating a Position4.1 Understanding true TrendsDespite such criticism into the per ceived overestimated effect or corporate commercialisation of temporary architecture projects, there are a superfluity of younger architects and designers that are emerging as a new propagation of a subversive, cordially-minded practices, each combatting these concerns by inspiring new definitions of architecture not just in terms of the physical structure, but in the go of creating them. These practices all share a concern for sweet populate and enriching local communities, and their projects are well-considered and endowing ways to create animated, deeply-rooted places in the neglected, disused and some quantify trackless parts of a city. Therefore, before attempting to formulate my position within the survey of temporary architecture, it was necessary to speak to a few of these firms in evidence to develop a more succinct, albeit limited, concord of the temporary situation in this moment in time.Set up by Kevin Hayley and David Chambers in 2009, Aberrant Architecture i s a London-based multidisciplinary studio and recover-tank who create temporary structures plump for up by rigorous research into the history of a place and the construction of whimsical fibs, inspired by the way contemporary lives are evolving, Kevin explains. Featuring projects from a tiny mobile theatre towed by a campervan, to an interactional instillation built in collaboration with local community groups, their p set downact is sportful, provocative and interactive.Interestingly, twain Kevin and David agreed on the deuce most gravid driving forces between each of their projects specifically setting and reusability. First is the idea of diachronic inheritance, or setting we everlastingly approach a project with attention to the history-we look to engage good deal, perhaps through participation events, in a way that connects them to a story or history, Kevin stresses, as it is this side of the projects which the public are increasingly embracing, and really enjoy.A lso, and equally as importantly, is their believe for temporary projects to have a lasting effect if something is there for troika years or 30 years, does it matter? Surely its ab bulge metre the effect it has on a community. However, though they both agreed that the actual physical thing is temporary but the drill or use should be very permanent, they also stressed that world able to recycle the structure was important if something stays in one place for a long time, weve effectuate it can lose its appeal really quickly. With mobile structures, as soon as you move it to a different mount it becomes new again.Contrastingly, Assemble a multidisciplinary collective founded in 2010 and comprised of 16 members each under the age of 30 champion a self-initiated style of edifice that engage communities in the making process, and rely on collaborative teamwork, as Amica Dall joy amply explained. Fascinatingly, Amica and Jane Hall revealed that this preference of such projects s tems from a desire to implicate the community in a more holistic way, as habitually, they unaccompanied participate in a small part of the process of creation, usually via quotation groups and involvement often only starts after most of the more critical decisions have been made.Self-built projects such as the Granby Workshop in Liverpool, built in collaboration with local artists and crafts throng afford the chance for everyone involved to be part of the whole life of a project. By collectively working out how to make it possible in the first instance, having to fabricate them ourselves, and then living(a) and working with the outcome whilst running the projects, this method allows them to understand the consequence of our design decisions. This approach to temporary architecture allows the physical structure to underscore some doubts in some areas and give confidence in others, affording a infinitely evolving understanding of what a community needs. Ultimately, both Jane an d Amica agreed that working with large number and for people brings extraordinary opportunity to learn from them, to grow sensitive to new things, and most importantly, to find things you werent already looking for.4.2 Addressing Systemic Societal Issues doubtless then, pop-up architecture can offer something rare design that is undiluted. Permanent, traditional architecture often needs to serve multiple purposes and changing surroundings the Shard, for example, is at once an office building, transit hub, hotel and retail space. Contrastingly, temporary architecture, as exemplified by Aberrant and Assemble, can advance a singular purpose and cut down its impact.However, in completing further research, what also became evident, and highly significant, was that the singular purposes very rarely address some of the real-world systemic challenges we face in society, particularly in major cities, with just a handful of examples responding to challenges like social inequality, youth u nemployment or public health and wellbeing, for example. Moreover, in the few instances where projects do address such issues, services are regularly provided by unpaid, well-intentioned volunteers rather of professionals, often filling the gaps left negligent (local) governments. With pop-up interventions providing services for reconcile, local governments might well be pleased to see that they can get away with formerly expensive services. Further still, as Ella Harris writes for The Guardian, in celebrating these projects, are we exactly distr playing from the lack of structural public provision in these areas and worsened still, normalising, even glorifying, its absence?4.3 Formulating my positionTherefore, as discussed, in conducting interviews with specialised practices, there were several reoccurring key themes which became immediately ap upraise, and naturally proved decisive in changeing my research reaching chiefly, involving the public in an aspect of building or completing the structure, and using a specific element(s) of a ranges historic heritage as a way of engaging the public in a larger story.However, following further research, the noticeable lack of projects, events or constructs attempting to address some of the systemic societal issues we face in neo society and the possibility that even the minority that do may simply be masking the absence of seize structural public nutrition in those areas was highlighted, again adding to a more refined research scope which could look at the possibility of using architecture to address one such challenge right off.As a consequence, formulating my position came as a station result of twinning these two key themes, and attempting to address them simultaneously. Firstly, building forms expressive of context styles that embrace the environment they inhabit have always stimulated my interest, so in meeting Aberrant and Assemble and understanding that the uniqueness of a design can be found in the particular embedded in the lives, the people, and in the history of a city the first theme lay in a specific chemistry of Architecture using the combination of characteristic physical, societal and/or ethnic contexts to produce innovative, site-responsive design. The second, in identifying a lack of contemporary projects addressing real-world societal challenges, lay in endeavouring to understand if temporary architecture could be used to do just that, or to at least promote such issues into the public domain. The more defined scope for this thesis therefore became an investigation into if/how Temporary Architecture can act as a catalyst for urban change by specifically addressing real-world problems through a contextual approach to design.5.0 Project narrative alchemy5.1 City + Site Specific Investigations include Aberrants view that temporary architecture projects can lose their appeal if they remain in one place for an extended period of time, and our joint view that such projects can, and should, be embodyative of, or embrace their local historical heritage, the decision was subsequently made for the project to move roughly a selection of sites in Canterbury with each site located in appropriate open public spaces, or pockets of disused, inactive, space to test the structures sex act success in various locations (as outlined on the site locations map, left). Therefore, in order to conceive a design taking a combination of Canterburys distinctive historical, physical, societal and/or cultural contexts as its inspiration, studies were conducted into each of the prospective sites so that it could appropriate itself in each site, whilst also being re largessative of Canterburys heritage as a whole to produce a holistic theme for the project.Following these investigations, one overriding theme became immediately apparent Canterburys colossal, enduring, and continue relation with writings. Throughout recent centuries, Canterbury has proved home to several authors, poets and playwrights, and the city has been an inspiration to the writers of English literature. Playwright Christopher Marlowe, after whom the Marlowe dramatics is named, was born in a house in St Georges Street, Canterbury in 1564, and despite being a contemporary of Shakespeare, was the most popular playwright of his day, and is often ack straightledged as the Father of English drama.Furthermore, Charles Dickens also regularly take careed Canterbury, and the protagonist of one of Dickens most hunch forwardd novels, David Copperfield, has pie-eyed connections with the city. Canterbury is also incredibly renowned for Geoffrey Chaucers Canterbury Tales collection, which have stood the test of time for more than 600 years and are cognise end-to-end the world. Additionally, the instantly recognisable Rupert Bear (which features in the Canterbury Heritage Museum), and Ian Flemmings jam Bond book You Only Live Twice, were both conceived in Canterbury, w hilst Flemmings Chitty Chitty bolt Bang was based on Canterburys showy, local character, Count Zborowski. Moreover, Canterburys Buttermarket situated directly opposite the Cathedral entrance in the heart of Canterburys historical town for more than 800 years features in the wartime classic film A Canterbury Tale.In step-up to electric current and historical contextual ties, it was also important to consider links which may have been lost especially those concerned with the built environment a collection of which are remembered in Paul Cramptons Canterburys woolly Heritage. In Canterbury, numerous buildings vaporizeed in the twentieth century a century, of course, of vast changes and technological progress. However, though the famous Blitz of Canterbury is one of the main tributaries of this, it has now been widely accepted that the City Councils ruthless post-bombing clearance policy accounted for many a(prenominal) more properties than the Luftwaffe, as the city father s were seduced by the ideas of Corbusier and the contemporary styles exhibited at the feast of Britain.Interestingly, though there was no special reason why they should disappear one of the most lost building typologies was Schools (and School Buildings). Demolished, with the site interchange for other uses such as the Simon Langton Boys School which occupied the current Whitefriars site in 1959 or in more recent years, closed and amalgamate with adjacent schools the majority of Canterburys principal Schools are now located on the outskirts of the city. This prompted teachers like Frances Bingham to initiate her own one-room schoolhouse, which has since been converted into a family home. Teaching children from the ages of 4-10, Frances taught 32 students over a period of 6 years in Canterbury, achieving the selfsame(prenominal) results as students who were educated in separate classrooms, with some of her students going on to become lawyers, engineers, teachers and nurses.Th erefore, given the citys, and each respective sites, respective affinity with literature expressed in all forms and education, via the loss of School building and the resulting enamour story of Frances, the contextual narrative of the project was to draw on Canterburys historical literature and educative ties as a way to draw activity to a space.5.2 Identification of Associated Real-World ProblemUpon identifying a contextual narrative, sequentially, the next whole tone was to identify a real-world problem associated with both literature and education, and, naturally, the logical bridge circuit between these two themes is study. Interestingly, though see is a pleasurable pastime for many, following further research into current discourse around nurture in schools, in recent years the UK has seen a serious gloam in the number of parents schooling with their children, as the headlines in Figure XX demonstrate, to the point where several studies have found the situation to be one of the fastest growing systematic societal challenges faced in the current climate.In a survey conducted by the Oxford University Press, it was found that more than half of primary school teachers have seen a least two children dispirit formal education with no experience of being told stories at home, whilst another study managed by YouGov found that only 51% of children said they love or like schooling books for fun, compared to 58% in 2012, and 60% in 2010. Moreover, according to the report, only 54% of children up to the age of five are read to at home at least five days a week, with this declining to 34% of six to eight-year-olds, and drastically, just 17% of nine to 11-year-olds.The studies also discovered that the main causes of this issue stem from the home-life, with parents often finding a lack of available space at home, being too spry with other commitments, unable to afford appropriate literature, or simply skin senses embarrassed at their own inability to rea d to their children. However, Pie Corbett, an educational consultant to the government, stated that This isnt just an economic thing its not just people who come from poor backgrounds, its crossways the whole of society. You get a haul of children attack from very privileged backgrounds whove dog-tired a lot of time in front of the TV and not enough time draw close up with a good book. The TV does the imagining for you and it doesnt care whether youre listening or not. This is despite research clearly demonstrating that children who are read to on a regular basis before, and after, they start school are most apt(predicate) to succeed its a key predictor in terms of educational success, Corbett continued, as children who are told stories are the ones who first form abstract concepts across the curriculum- and though parents may have lost faith with this idea, education is the way out of poverty.Furthermore, these studies have shown that regular access to books has a direct impact on pupils results, irrespective of parents own education, occupation and social class, as keeping just 20 books in the home can boost childrens chances of doing well at school, it was claimed. Finally, YouGovs study of over 17,000 young people also revealed a strong correlation between childrens literacy and what goes on outside school specifically that being raised in a household with a large amount of literature would result in a child remaining in education for an average of three years longer than those with little or no access, which could be the difference between leaving school at 18 and going to university, which can be worth up to 200,000 more in lifetime earnings.5.3 Project Narrative ConstructionTherefore, given the systemic societal issue currently faced in the UK with the number of children reading with their parents being in sharp decline, and that several studies have repeatedly, and explicitly, identified that reading at home and access to books has a proven, positive impact on a childs future life, the project would aim to address this issue specifically either by attempting to solve the issue directly, or simply aggrandisement awareness of it via a contextual approach to design which would use Canterburys historical, and continuing, affinity with literature and education as its main source of inspiration.6.0 Design solution and realisation6.1 Design ResponseOut of this defined project narrative and a subsequent series of design iterations and developments (for which Kevin from Aberrant kindly provided attention and advice, and are shown in the Appendix), and scale and structural models was born the Fun-Size Story shock of Canterbury, as shown.The final design was a 2.5 meter cube, constructed entirely of bargain and corrugated cardboard (as they are low-value, easy to source and condition corporeals), featuring both recessed and projecting volumes inspired by stacked books, and the nature of Canterbury full(prenominal) Stree ts various building facades. The structure was also to open up to the public, a good deal like a book opening along the spine, to reveal the interior death penalty and open reading spaces. Via a series of these fun and colourful reading corners, story creation + performance spaces, and open seating areas, the design aimed to provide parents and children with a safe and fun architectural intervention in which to read together. The projected volumes were also to be transparent, so as to make the bookshelves visible from the exterior, creating a sense of intrigue, and the selection of books available would be free for children to take home, donated from local retailers and charity shops, such as the Demelza Childrens Hospice, and HMV.The recessed reading corners and story creation + performance spaces come as a direct result of twinning classroom reading techniques with brain development in children research data, outlining where, why and how children like to read. According to the Centre on the development Child at Harvard University, traditional reading corners employed in schools do not conform to childrens actual reading habits, with most spaces tailored instead to improving scores in assessments. Alternatively, children actually prefer smaller, more provoke and inviting reading spaces a small space, often hidden away, where children can enjoy a book therefore, the Story Box features recessed areas where children can do just that with their parents.Furthermore, in early years, children learn best through active, engaged, meaty experiences, and research suggests that learning is easier when experiences are interconnected rather than compartmentalised into narrow subject areas. This is echoed by ground-breaking kindergarten architect, Takaharu Tezuka, who states in The Guardian that designing for children involves recognising their right to play as well as learn, as from these experiences, they construct their own acquaintance and apply their taught kn owledge by interacting with their environments. Therefore, rather than having all reading material collected in one space, the Story Box has books arranged throughout the structure, with the provision for interconnected interior and exterior story creation + performance spaces, where children can imagine their own story with their parents, and then act it out, engaging them in a playful experience.6.2 Council + Legislative InfluenceIn addition to research data, council guidance and legislation were hugely influential on the design. antecedent to any formal discussions with representatives of the council, a Planning Analysis was conducted to identify any legislative and/or planning requirements which the project may or may not have to adhere to forming a paper trail. This study found that as this projects Temporary Structure would be classed within the Building Regulations granting immunity as a Class 4 Temporary Building, it would subsequently be exempt from several, if not all, regulations, providing it did not (amongst other possible objections) remain where erected for more than 28 days, and the floor area did not exceed 30m.The project was subsequently designed following these requirements, however, the design continuously evolved following feedback from council representatives David Kemp (CCC Property summation Manager), and Andy Jeffery (CCC Emergency Planning Events Officer) all of which is collated in the appendix Council Correspondence. This correspondence tackled many issues, such as ensuring children didnt get their fingers caught in hinges, impeding pedestrians or apprehension services vehicles, proximity to any highways, gaining relevant liability insurance, and proving the projects structural integrity. formerly these issues were satisfied, and all required documentation was completed and accepted (Event Application Form, Events polity Terms + Conditions, Event Management Plan, Events Risk Assessment and Public obligation Insurance Cer tificate) permission was granted to stage the event in the Buttermarket and Marlowe Theatre Forecourt on the weekend of the 11th-12th February 2017.7.0 Implementation and feedback7.1 PlacementDespite a fully designed and rationalised scheme, like many temporary architecture structures, the project was affect by time and financial constraints, and as a result, only one of the two sides to the Story Box project was fully realised and constructed as outlined in the appendix Construction + Realisation. Yet, despite the unfortunate intemperate survive conditions, the project was implemented on site (in the Buttermarket, between 11th-12th February 2017), acting as a prototype to test the validity or relative success of each part of the design, and project.Furthermore, though the event only lasted for two days (running from 10am to 5pm both days), and adverse weather ultimately hampered opening times and the possibility to set-up in more than 2 of the prospective sites, there was com mensurate opportunity to engage with members of the community, and to receive valuable feedback.7.2 Representative Data relocationFirstly, due to the stated limitations, it is important to note that the data collected doesnt represent a statistically significant number, therefore cannot be wholly hi-fi (this data was recorded by myself, and the 2 other staff members present throughout the day). However, one of the main ambitions of the project was to attempt to attract people to (or activate) pockets of often neglected or disused space, to highlight that these spaces can be re-invented and used for something more and in this sense the project was successful. Due to the weather conditions on the first day, the project was set up under the arcade of arches on Burgate Road, and though this was not envisaged, it meant that the project was truly located in dead space as, on average, only 20 people operate this location every 10 transactions (throughout the day), and of that number less than 10% (2 out of 20) stop in the immediate area for more than 30 seconds. However, whilst the event was held, though the people traffic remained fairly constant, the amount of people stopping for more than 30 seconds trebled to 30% as people stop to inspect, or engage with, the structure. On average, parents and children who stopped spent 17 minutes with the structure a significant increase.On the second day, when set up in the more exposed Buttermarket Square (in considerably better weather), on average, the amount of people passing through the site was much higher, at around 120 every 10 minutes, whilst people stopped for around 13 minutes. Again, though traffic remained constant, persons who stopped at the structure spent an average of 37 minutes there almost a ccc% increase in time spent in the site.7.3 Community enfolding + FeedbackAside from statistical data, the design featured tell us what you think message boards and Post-it notes, whilst several interviews were video recorded (stills of which can be found in the appendices) affording parents and children opportunities to express their opinions, either written or verbally. As shown in Figure XX, the written feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with parents agreeing that in attempting to raise awareness of declining reading levels the structure was a good idea-and interesting for architecture. One user wrote that she though the project was a really creative idea, imaginative and engaging- with fairy tales brought to life before your eyes, before, interestingly, adding that it captures your dreams with your child which may be lost on a busy shopping day, and stating that nothing is more important than a parent seeing their childs imagination grow. Similarly, a mother, Jane, who took the time to read with her 6-year-old daughter, Emma, stated that the structure was a really great use of space showing that you can create engaging and creative spaces for public engagement without costing ma ke fullThis sentiment was also echoed in the video interviews, with one mother stating that its decent to have somewhere to sit and read because they her children get fed up around the shops, giving a little bit of time for them before adding that its such a simple idea, but no-one else has ever thought of it before. In another interview, Adam, a father of two girls added Its very homely and cosy. We took the girls to visit the Cathedral, but they got a bit bored, and kept talking about coming back to the Story Box the whole way round. As you can see, theyre having a whale of a time drawing all over the walls. I think the durability of it, and the fact you can just scratch all over it is great because they cant do that at home Fascinatingly, though blank create your own story pages were placed on the interior walls as a place for children to draw and write, most children draw directly onto the cardboard walls, an unintended feature that another parent apprehended Great portable pop-up space ideal to give kids somewhere to be free and creative to draw on the walls (like they cant do at home)Moreover, during the event, I had the opportunity to observe if the project was actually attracting parents who werent necessarily reading wi