MASS MODELLING EXPERIMENTATION
Focusing on the shelter being in the same place as the public baths once was. Creating an open extroverted space at the front, introverted at the back as privacy for the guests.
The training centre is placed in the same space as the public baths, this time moving the training centre alongside Leaf St so it can be accessed easily. The space behind the shelter becomes semi private, circulated by those on the footpath and guests of the shelter.
Training centre remains in the same place. Shops become more terraced like, following the footprint of the terraced slums which once stood on the site. The shelter sits along the footpath and shops create a barrier along leaf st.
The shops at the front of the site follow the footprint of buildings which once stood along Stretford Rd. They create an open space once again at the front of the site. Training centre remains the core, shops then line leaf st up to the shelter which is placed at the back of the site.
Following on from the terraced houses plans. Terraced styled shops lining Leaf St creating a 'high st'. Shelter at the back of the site with adjoining training centre. Site is linear, responding to the theory of defending space.
The site becomes more split. The training centre is engulfed by the shops. The shelter remains at the back of the site for privacy purposes. Surrounded by shops makes both amenities more approachable.
Playing again on defending space, shops are lined along both the footpath and the road. Circulation is linear straight up to the shelter and training centre at the back of the site.
Playing again on defending space, shops are lined along both the footpath and the road. Circulation is linear straight up to the shelter and training centre at the back of the site.
Training centre has been moved to the front of the site facing onto Stretford Rd. Shops are lined along Leaf St to create a high st feel. Shops are also lined along the footpath with the shelter nestled into the back of the site.
MASS MODEL ITERATIONS:
After deciding on the programme of the building I began experimenting with the orientation and positioning of programme on site through the means of a physical model. Using foam blocks at a 1:200 scale on a site model I began to understand how successful and unsuccessful interations were. I began to layout blocks with reference to historical maps of the site. Using the positioning of historical buildings such as the public baths and buildings which had formerly had a presence on the site I began connecting the old to the new. As I layed out new iterations I learnt from the existing, making reference to site analysis and acknowledging key factors such as ciruclation, sun path, entry points as well as key aspects of my design proposal such as, privacy for the shelter, public space, making sure the site does not become introverted. The film above shows a quick preview of how I arranged and rearranged the blocks. All iterations are described below.
The industrial slums of Hulme mark a poignant part of Hulme's history. From this map I derived the layout of the terraced housing to be consistent with the layout of shop units along Leaf St.
The public baths that once stood on Leaf St site becomes the open public space in this iteration. The buildings which border Stretford Rd and the now princess parkway become prevelant here.
The training centre has been placed near to where the public baths once stood, central to the site. The buildings around it mimicked in this iteration.
Once the surrounding buildings were pulled down the public baths stood alone on the site. Allowing the homeless shelter to take the place of the baths, and key open space at the back of the site where a playground once was, with a suggestion of shopping units to suggest the structure within a play area.
OVERLAYING HISTORICAL MAPS
REALISING THE ANCHOR
When organising where programme would be arranged on site I looked for anchor points within the context and contextual history of Leaf St. For part of my iteration experimentation I overlayed historical maps of Hulme from different era's thus relating the organisation and positioning to that of previous buildings. Below some of the iterations which have been inspired by the historical maps are shown with the overlay, showing the postioning and formation related to the buildings of the relevant era.
From exploring the above iterations with historical mapping, I found the connection as well as the design opportunities a successful anchor point for my scheme. The size of the public baths has changed over the years with the demolition of surrounding buildings, therefore I took the 1970's plan and used the positioning of the building as anchor point for the training centre. The function of both the public baths and the training centre have similarities. Both are points of community interaction. They invite the community to come into one place and learn together.
ANALYSING THE MODEL
3D MODELLING: PLAYING WITH FORM
Through the means of 3D software I began to explore how the form of the building related to context. Firstly, I began exploring the layout of form in relation to the physical mass models made. This became the platform to begin experimenting how the bridge system would bridge different elements together. Through three seperation iterations I began to understand the shapes and form. This developed as programme became more detailed within the process.
This software was also used to explore the preliminary ideas for form of the homeless shelter. Experimenting with pitched roofs on the back of site and how that adapts to context.
The exploration of the nine iterations lead to the final more informed iteration below. Learning from the previous iterations, the big draw and site analysis this model was developed. Although still very much preliminary the model allowed for the exploration of spatiality and begin to envision how detailed programme sits within the greater scheme. I began to play with a bridge system, adding card to bridge one building to another. Diagramming below the model key site strageties allowed for the design to become more informed, to allow the strategy inform the programme and vice versa.