- Elliot Bourne
Development
Resolved issues with previous proposal
My initial proposal featured a greenhouse sloping on the exact souther side of the building, however optimised this location for the greenhouse was, the spatial arrangement was clunky and the form harsh. The new proposal has a larger greenhouse with more exposure to the internal spaces. As the relationship between the users of the building and the plants growing in the greenhouse was a key experiential strategy this is is optimal.
Previously Access to the building was located along an awkward sloped ramp bridge from the far side of the site, with descending ramps to the surrounding area. The new building has simple access from Chester Road, where main access to the public hall is, this works for many reasons as well as placing the entry facades for SFLC and SPH. Access to the roof garden on Stretford Public Hall was also through the main building and circulation space which is extremely dissatisfactory. This has now been moved to an external stair
A glazed connection remains in the new building, however rather than a huge glazed block stair well with an entry path the new building simple has a glazed perimeter and uses the Hall's external wall as the internal wall of my building. The showcase accommodation element now resides visible at the top of the building, thus allowing it to function more accurately as a home, rather than windowless block
The circulation in the old building was nearly nonsensical, there was a lavish space wasting dramatic spiral stair, a set of fire stairs, a separate stair for the greenhouse, and though the lift was a straight path from the front door it was in the far corner of the building. In the new proposal I try to rationalise this by having a fire stair which is external, the stair to the greenhouse, and the stair to the roof garden. there is a feature stair for the main public spaces and a private stair to the accommodation from the second floor.
The outcome is a building which encompasses all the environmental strategies illustrated in 3.1, but with a much more rationalised spatial arrangement. The Kitchen and restaurant spaces are disconnected further with a foyer space between them
The silhouette of the building is intended to challenge the public hall and create a cohesive aesthetic relationship between it and nature by acting as a diffusion of meteriality
The intention is for the building to comprise of a timber frame which will support the floors and greenhouse glazing. This frame will be braced by sheer walls at either end. My idea is to have a sort of structural core on the south west side which will act as a thermal mass to help keep the building a constant temperature, This I will discuss more later.